The final list for the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023 has been released on the back of the women’s game witnessing some of the biggest stars making the mark on the ODI format.
The final four for the Women’s list includes the likes of Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr.
What more can one say about the Swiss Army knife, that is Ashleigh Gardner? Runs with the bat, wickets with the ball was the mantra of the esteemed all-rounder, who excelled for the Aussies in the ODI format this year.
Gardner picked up 24 wickets, and scored 188 runs across 13 matches for Australia, as she stamped her name in the world stage as the premier all-rounder.
She was on top of her game throughout the year, especially with the ball. In three of Australia’s four bilateral series in 2023, no player had more wickets than Gardner. Adding to her impressive tally, she secured three more wickets against West Indies, concluding the year as the highest wicket-taker in Women’s ODIs.
Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu continued to showcase why she is the ultimate batter and leader for her side, as she notched up 415 runs in a mere 8 matches for her side through the year in ODIs.
Athapaththu’s shining moment came in Sri Lanka’s historic triumph against New Zealand. The swashbuckling batter registered tw0 centuries with scores of 108* and 140* to lead her side to their first-ever bilateral series win over New Zealand.
All the while from the other side of the world, there was the undeniable and ever-reliable Nat Sciver-Brunt who was quietly making her mark on the ODI cricketing world as well.
Despite having played a mere 6 matches in the year, one could not ignore the brilliance of the English skipper. Sciver-Brunt scored 393 runs and picked up 3 wickets as well in her exploits this year, and played a vital role in England’s triumph at the Women’s Ashes, where she smashed a couple of centuries and ran away with the Player of the Series award.
And last but not least, there was Amelia Kerr.
Kerr’s brilliant rise to the upper echelon of women’s cricket continues from last year, as she earns her second consecutive nomination for the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award.
Kerr was the shining star in an otherwise lackluster year for New Zealand, as she notched up 541 runs and scalped 9 wickets in just 9 matches for the White Ferns.
She starred in the White Ferns’ only win of NZ’s series against Sri Lanka with a century and a wicket, where Kerr strung a 229-run stand with captain Sophie Devine to propel her side to 329/7, and with the ball, she kept it tight with figures of 10-1-34-1.
Her stellar form continued till the end of the year as Kerr was named the Player of the Series in New Zealand’s final ODI assignment of the year against Pakistan with two fifties to go with five wickets in the three-match series.
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