ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year 2024 has come out, with Indian cricketers making a stellar appearance on this list. Of the three players on the list are Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma, for whom the past year has been excellent and has produced great results that have helped the team win. The team is dominated by Indian talent, and it has players from South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Australia, Ireland, and Pakistan.
Indian Players Dominate the Lineup
The presence of Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma gives a view of India still holding the same momentum in women’s cricket. All three of them have been contributing significantly to India’s achievements during 2024, and with this, all three have found a place in the ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year. Also, both of these players-Mandhana and Deepti were picked in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 as well.
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Stellar Year of Smriti Mandhana
Opener Smriti Mandhana enjoyed a great season in 2024. She started off in the right vein, being swashbuckler to an impressive 54 against Australia, and continued to bask in that form, ending the year with three successive half-centuries in India’s home series against West Indies. She did very well in the season, scoring 763 runs in 23 matches at a strike rate of 126.53 and an average of 42.38.
Her contribution was eight half-centuries and a highest score of 77 runs. She ended up as the second-best in the Women’s T20 International rankings due to consistent batting.
Richa Ghosh’s Explosive Batting
India’s wicketkeeper, Richa Ghosh, was a big hitter. Her 64* off 29 balls against UAE at the start of the year left everyone with a wonderful memory. Ghosh managed 365 runs in 21 games, including two half-centuries at an average of 33.18 and a striking strike rate of 156.65. She is one of the bright faces that emerged in the Indian cricket team in 2024 through explosive batting.
Deepti Sharma’s All-Round Brilliance
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All-rounder Deepti Sharma proved to be a key contributor to India’s success in 2024. Her off-spin bowling was exceptional, as she took 30 wickets at an average of 17.80, maintaining a remarkable economy rate of 6.01. Deepti’s performances included three-wicket hauls against Nepal and Pakistan during the Asia Cup, where she was an integral part of India’s victories.
Laura Wolvaardt Leads the Team
The team is captained by South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who had an excellent year as a leader and a batter. Wolvaardt led South Africa to some significant victories, including an extraordinary triumph over Australia in Canberra, where she scored an unbeaten 58 off 53 balls. Her excellent performances with the bat helped her rise to the fifth position in the ICC T20 International rankings.
Key International Players Round Out the Team
In addition to Wolvaardt, South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp rounded off the squad. Kapp has played a great game both with bat and ball: she made a magnificent 75 against Australia in January and a swashbuckling 57 against India at Chennai. With the ball, Kapp took 11 wickets in various matches.
Chamari Atapattu from Sri Lanka was also selected as she is a fine leader and a good batswoman. She led her team to the Women’s Asia Cup victory. She scored two centuries in that tournament, one being a match-winning 119* in the final against India.
Notable names in the team include West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Australia’s Amelia Kerr, who won the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. With the ball, Kerr was important, taking 29 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 15.55, and her best effort was four for 26 against Australia.
The team will be completed with Ireland’s all-rounder Orla Prendergast, known for her decent fast bowling skills. Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal is a left-arm spinner and has been able to contribute the most.
The Complete ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year 2024
– Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (South Africa)
– Marizanne Kapp (South Africa)
– Smriti Mandhana (India)
– Richa Ghosh (India) Wicketkeeper
– Deepti Sharma (India)
– Chamari Atapattu (Sri Lanka)
– Hayley Matthews (West Indies)
– Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)
– Amelia Kerr (Australia)
– Orla Prendergast (Ireland)
– Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan)
The strong mix of talent shown in the ICC Women’s T20 Team of the Year 2024 has a special emphasis on Indian cricketers who have performed exceptionally well in the last year. Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma form an important part of international women’s cricket at this time, and their players being a part of the team speaks to their skill, consistency, and determination over the past year. This team is under the command of Laura Wolvaardt, one of the best talent in the women’s game.
ALSO READ: Mastering The Art Of Off-spin Bowling: A Comprehensive Guide
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