Smriti Mandhana Named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024

ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024: India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana has been named the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2024. She has been in great form throughout 2024 and dominated the opposition in almost every series

Smriti Mandhana’s Outstanding Performance in 2024

Overall, India’s vice-captain scored 747 runs last year at an average of 57.86 and a strike rate of 95.15, including four centuries. She surpassed Laura Wolvaardt, Tammy Beaumont and Hayley Matthews in terms of runs scored.

She started the year with consecutive centuries against South Africa to guide them to a stunning 3-0 win. Mandhana hit a match-winning century in the series decider against New Zealand in October and a challenging hundred away from home against Australia in December.

Even though her century against Australia came in a losing cause, her performance was exceptional considering the situation and circumstances.

Also Read: ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024

A Remarkable Year for Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana holds the record for scoring the most centuries in a calendar year in women’s cricket, while she has hit boundaries more than 100 times. She has hit 95 fours and six sixes in the ODI format in 2024.

Mandhana is one of only five women batsmen to complete 1000 runs in the ODI Championship. She has scored 1358 runs in 24 matches, which is 100 runs more than Laura Wolvaardt, who is at number two.

Smriti completed her century with the help of 13 fours and a six in 103 balls. Smriti scored 2 centuries in the series which was won by Australia. In this way, Mandhana became the first Indian woman cricketer to score 2 ODI centuries against Australia.

Record-Breaking Achievements

Earlier, no Indian woman cricketer had been able to achieve this feat. Apart from this, Mandhana became the first female player to score more than one ODI century on Australian soil.

Not only this, this was Smriti Mandhana’s fourth ODI century in 2024 and with this century she made a big world record in her name. Mandhana became the first female cricketer in the world to score 4 centuries in a calendar year in ODI cricket. Earlier, Belinda Clark had scored 3 centuries in a year in ODI cricket in 1997.