New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr has been named as winner of ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award for 2024. She beat competition from Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt to get the coveted honour.
Amelia has also become the second New Zealand women’s cricketer after the veteran Suzie Bates (2016) to have won this award. In 2024, Amelia was at the peak of her powers in T20Is by amassing 387 runs at an average of 24.18 while picking 29 wickets at an average of 15.55 in a landmark year where New Zealand won the T20 World Cup for the first time.
“It’s a huge honour to win the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award. With it being a T20 World Cup year, this format was really important. I love the responsibility that the White Ferns have given me and the teammates I have around me who back me, and it’s a team I love playing for,” said Amelia in an ICC statement on Saturday.
In New Zealand’s winning run in the T20 World Cup, Amelia picked 15 wickets, the most scalps ever taken by a single bowler in the history of the tournament, at an average of 7.33 and an economy rate of 4.85 across six matches.
She also finished 135 runs in six innings at an average of 27, which put her in the top ten run-scorers of the competition. After stifling India in their eye-catching opening round victory in Dubai, Amelia claimed four wickets against defending champions Australia, though New Zealand lost the game.
Skilled bowling performances prompted more wickets in victories over Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the semi-final win over West Indies before her final heroics happened in Dubai. On a challenging surface against an in-form South Africa bowling outfit, Kerr top scored with a priceless 43 off 38 balls to steer New Zealand to a competitive total of 158.
Then, with the ball, she claimed 3-24, including the prized scalps of captain Laura Wolvaardt and the dangerous Anneke Bosch to break the back of South Africa’s chase, apart from taking a brilliant catch to dismiss Nadine de Klerk.
Her all-round efforts were enough to secure a 32-win victory for New Zealand to trigger jubilant scenes in Dubai, with Amelia picking Player of the Match award and also clinched Player of the Tournament honour.
–IANS
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