By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: Sahibzada Farhan has been named ICC men’s player of the month for February after a record-breaking campaign at the 2026 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, where the Pakistan opener became the tournament’s leading run-scorer and surpassed Virat Kohli’s mark for the most runs in a single edition of the event.
The International Cricket Council announced the award on Monday, citing Farhan’s “stellar display with the bat” across Pakistan’s seven-match campaign. The 29-year-old right-hander amassed 383 runs in six innings at an average of 76.60 and a blistering strike rate of 160.25, including two centuries and two half-centuries. His tally eclipsed the previous single-edition record held by the former India captain.
Farhan, who had already enjoyed a strong build-up to the tournament, produced a sequence of scores that underlined his status as one of the most destructive openers in the format: 47, 73, 0, 100 not out, did not bat, 63 and 100. He became the first batter to register two centuries in a single global T20 event, scoring one against Namibia and the other against co-hosts Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
The ICC highlighted the significance of his achievement, noting that the hard-hitting opener also formed a record 176-run partnership for any wicket in T20 internationals alongside Fakhar Zaman. That stand helped Pakistan secure a tense five-run victory over Sri Lanka, although the side ultimately failed to reach the semi-finals on net run rate. Farhan’s form propelled him to a career-high second place in the latest ICC men’s T20I batting rankings, a rise sealed by his hundred against Sri Lanka. He was the only Pakistani named in the 12-man ICC team of the tournament, an honour that further cemented his emergence as the standout performer of the tournament.
Speaking to the ICC after the announcement, Farhan described the award as “an incredible feeling”, particularly given the global audience that follows World Cup cricket. “It was truly a tournament I’ll always cherish, and I’m determined to carry this momentum forward in the series and competitions ahead,” he said. “I’m deeply grateful to my teammates for their constant support and belief in me – this wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
The 29-year-old becomes only the second Pakistani man to win the monthly accolade since paceman Haris Rauf claimed it in November 2024, and the first batter from any nation to achieve the feat after a World Cup campaign.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi was quick to offer his congratulations, issuing a statement that described Farhan’s performance as “a source of pride for Pakistan cricket and a reflection of his hard work and professional approach”. Naqvi added: “I hope that he will maintain consistency in his performances.”
Farhan’s emergence as the tournament’s highest run-getter came at a time when Pakistan’s campaign was otherwise marked by inconsistency and frustration. Despite the individual brilliance – and the record partnership that briefly threatened to carry them into the knockout stages – the team’s exit on net run rate served as a reminder of the fine margins that define T20 World Cups.
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