Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year
What's the story
Star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana has been crowned the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2024. The award honors her outstanding performance in WODI cricket during the year.
Mandhana, India's marquee left-handed opener, stood out with consistent performance and incredible records against top-tier teams.
With over 700 runs, she finished as the highest run-scorer in the format last year.
Match-winning contributions
Mandhana contributed to several series wins
Mandhana was India's highest run-scorer in the format by a distance.
She began the year with back-to-back centuries, taking India to a 3-0 WODI series win over South Africa in June. In October, her brilliant century helped seal the series against New Zealand.
Even though India lost to Australia in December, Mandhana proved her mettle with another gritty century.
Stellar stats
Only woman with over 700 ODI runs in 2024
In 2024, Mandhana scored a whopping 747 runs from just 13 innings, setting a new personal best.
This put her on top of the Women's ODI run-scorers list for the year. The likes of Laura Wolvaardt (697), Tammy Beaumont (554), and Hayley Matthews (469) follows Mandhana.
She averaged an impressive 57.46 and had a strike-rate of 95.15, bolstering India's top order.
Record breaker
Record-breaking four WODI tons for Mandhana
Mandhana also created a new record in women's cricket by scoring four WODI centuries in 2024.
She hit the boundary over a hundred times during the year, with 95 fours and 6 sixes.
This phenomenal performance cemented her place as the leading run-scorer in the ICC Women's Championship, an ODI table that determines qualifiers for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.
Defiant display
First Indian woman with multiple WODI tons against Australia
Mandhana's best innings of 2024 was her brilliant 105 against Australia, the world's top-ranked side.
Although India couldn't chase down the target, it was Mandhana's heroics that gave the defending World Champions a challenge at the WACA in Perth.
She became the first Indian woman with multiple WODI centuries against Australia. Earlier, only three Indian women had scored a WODI century against Australia, but none managed to repeat the feat.
Information
Second player with this feat
Mandhana has been adjudged the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year for the second time (also in 2018). According to Wisden, Suzie Bates remains the only other player to have won this award twice - in 2013 and 2016.