Smriti Mandhana is ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year

SWASHBUCKLING India opener Smriti Mandhana was on Monday (24) named the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Cricketer of the Year for the second time for her good form across all formats in 2021.

The southpaw, who also made it to the ICC T20 Women’s Team of the Year, pipped fellow nominees Tammy Beaumont of England, Lizelle Lee of South Africa and Gaby Lewis of Ireland to grab the top honour – the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, the international cricket-governing body said in a statement.

The 25-year-old had earlier won the award in 2018 when she was named the women’s one-day international cricketer of the year.

Mandhana, who is India’s T20 vice captain, is only the second Indian woman player to bag the top ICC award after veteran fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, who was named the ICC Player of the Year in 2007.

Despite India witnessing a challenging 2021, Mandhana excelled in all formats of the game. She scored 855 runs in 22 international matches at an average of 38.86 and hit one century and five half-centuries.

Reacting on getting the top honour, Mandhana said, “I am truly honoured for receiving the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2021.

“A recognition of such high class from the global governing body of cricket in an exceptional and difficult year will motivate me to continue to better my game and contribute to Team India's success going forward.

“I look forward to 2022 with a clear focus on winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand as we continue to prepare as a team and unit.”

Mandhana’s only century of the year came in the long format and she won the player of the match award despite the match ending in a draw. It was also India’s first-ever pink-ball Test in the women’s category and it was played in Carrara Oval against Australia.

Mandhana, who made his international debut in 2013, has scored 325 runs in four Tests, 2,377 runs in 62 one-day internationals and 1,971 runs in 84 T20 internationals. She has scored five international hundreds and 35 half-centuries across all formats so far.