Smriti Mandhana named in ICC's Women's T20 Team of the Year
Thursday, 20 January 2022 (14:44 IST)
Dubai: The International Cricket Council has announced the ICC Women's T20 Team of the Year.
India's Smriti Mandhana has been named alongside players from four other countries.
The players from India, England, South Africa, Ireland and Zimbabwe are included in the team.
Mandhana was India's highest scorer in the shortest format of the game in 2021 with 255 runs at an average of 31.87 and scored two fifties in the nine matches.
England's top order batter Tammy Beaumont has played nine matches and amassed 303 runs at an average of 33.66, including three fifties.
Another English battter Danni Wyatt had an excellent 2021, as she scored 252 runs in nine matches, at an average of 31.50.
Gaby Lewis, the 20-year-old Irish batter amassed 325 runs during the year at an excellent average of 40.62. She also became the first Ireland Women’s player to score a century in international cricket.
Nat Sciver from England, who has been named the captain of T20 Team of the Year scored a total of 153 runs, including one fifty, and she also picked up 10 wickets at an excellent average of 20.20.
Amy Jones, England's wicketkeeper-batter impressed everyone with her power hitting ability in 2021 as she has accumulated a total of 151 runs with an amazing strike-rate of 142.45.
South Africa's middle order batter Laura Wolvaardt gave her team a much-needed acceleration in the middle-overs by scoring runs at a mind-boggling strike-rate of 161.
Proteas bowling all rounder Marizanne Kapp played only six matches in 2021 and delivered an impactful and all-round performance. She has scored exactly 100 runs and picked up eight wickets at an excellent average of 15.00.
The English spinner Sophie Ecclestone was one of the most effective bowlers in T20Is last year. Ecclestone picked up 11 wickets in nine matches, at an excellent average and strike-rate of 17.18 and 17.9 respectively.
Loryn Phiri of Zimbabwe played nine T20I matches for Zimbabwe, and claimed a 16 wickets, including best figures of 5/6. Her bowling average stood at an impressive 7.18.
The experienced South African pacer Shabnim Ismail has played only six matches last year, but picked up 11 wickets at an average and strike-rate of 13.00 and 12.0 respectively.
Women's T20 Team of the Year: Smriti Mandhana, Tammy Beaumont, Danni Wyatt, Gaby Lewis, Nat Sciver (c), Amy Jones (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Sophie Ecclestone, Loryn Phiri, Shabnim Ismail (UNI)
