Marco Jansen Named ICC Player of the Month for October
Marco Jansen ICC Player of the Month honours went to the South Africa all-rounder on Friday, after a series-winning run of performances against Australia.
The 26-year-old beat Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas and West Indies captain Shai Hope to the award, his first monthly honour from the International Cricket Council, which announced the winner on Friday, 13 November.
Jansen starred as South Africa came back from a first-Test defeat to win the three-match World Test Championship series 2-1 at home.
Marco Jansen ICC Player of the Month: the series that won it
Jansen produced his best work in the second Test at Gqeberha, where he scored 85 in South Africa’s first innings and then took six wickets in the match, with figures of five for 33 and one for 34. South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs to level the series at 1-1.
He kept that form in the deciding third Test, scoring another half-century and taking three wickets as South Africa completed the comeback and sealed a 2-1 series win.
Across the three Tests, Jansen scored 198 runs and took 13 wickets and was named Player of the Series. His form also lifted him to the top of the ICC Test all-rounder rankings, the first South African to hold that spot since Vernon Philander in August 2014.
South Africa moved back to second in the World Test Championship standings, with 71.43 percent from seven matches.
“Winning the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award is a great honour for me, particularly after such a competitive series against Australia,” Jansen said. “It was one of the most memorable series of my career, and being able to contribute to the team’s success made it even more special.”
He added the side would now push for a World Test Championship final place.
What it means for Arafat Minhas and Pakistan
Minhas, 21, was the only Pakistani on the shortlist. He was named Player of the Series in Pakistan’s home ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka, scoring 149 runs at a strike rate of 119.20 and taking nine wickets at an economy rate of 5.13.
His best day in the tri-series came against England at Rawalpindi on 20 October, when he scored 59 and took six wickets for 40 runs. He then hit 61 off 31 balls in the final against Sri Lanka at Lahore on 31 October, as Pakistan won the title.
Hope, the third nominee, scored 261 runs in T20 internationals during October, including two centuries, and added an unbeaten 162 in a one-day international against India.
The award is decided through a vote by a specialist panel and fans, and all three nominees were seeking their first Player of the Month honour.
Why Jansen edged the vote
The three nominees had very different months. Hope scored heavily in white-ball cricket, and Minhas shaped a home tri-series win with bat and ball. Jansen, though, produced match-winning performances in two Tests in a row, in the longest format and against strong opposition.
His 85 and six wickets at Gqeberha turned the series after South Africa had lost the first Test, and his runs and wickets in the decider finished the job. That weight of contribution across a full Test series, rather than a single match, set him apart.
The result also continues a strong run for South Africa’s Test side. The Proteas beat Australia by 176 runs in the third Test to clinch the series, taking them back to the top of the Test rankings for the first time since January 2016.
Jansen will now carry that form into South Africa’s next assignments. Minhas, meanwhile, returns to Pakistan’s plans as an established part of the white-ball side.
Pakistan’s Test side is also in action this week, with the first Test against Sri Lanka reaching its final day in Rawalpindi, while South Africa’s batting set up the series win with big centuries in the decider.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the ICC Player of the Month award for October 2026?
Marco Jansen of South Africa won the men’s award, beating Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas and West Indies captain Shai Hope.
What did Marco Jansen do in October 2026?
He scored 198 runs and took 13 wickets in three Tests against Australia, winning the Player of the Series award as South Africa won 2-1.
Who was the Pakistani nominee for the October award?
Arafat Minhas, 21, who was Player of the Series in Pakistan’s home ODI tri-series win over England and Sri Lanka.
How is the ICC Player of the Month chosen?
The winner is decided through a vote by a specialist panel and fans, from a shortlist of three players.
