Ireland’s wicketkeeper batter, Amy Hunter, sealed the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Player of the Month for January 2024. The 18-year-old prodigy’s outshining performance in both ODI and T20I against Zimbabwe helped her to secure this accolade.
After Arlene Kelly, Laura Delany, and Eimear Richardson, Amy Hunter is the fourth player from Ireland to claim the title. She outperformed Australia’s two esteemed performers, Beth Mooney and team captain Alyssa Healy, to rightfully claim the title for herself.
The right-handed wicketkeeper commenced the month by registering scores of 36 not out in the first match, then scoring 21 and one in three ODIs against Zimbabwe. However, in the following three-match T20 series against the same opposition, she showcased her true talent. On 26th January, she registered her first international T20 century in 66 balls with 13 fours and a six, which resulted in a 57-run victory for Ireland.
Hunter’s remarkable accomplishment solidified her status as the youngest player to record centuries in both ODI and T20I formats on the international stage. She also possesses to be the third-youngest player to score a hundred in a women’s T20.
She continued her prowess in the next match with an unbeaten score of 77 in 57 balls with 6 fours and two sixes, which helped the Ireland side build a massive score of 172 followed by a 42-run victory. In the next match, she secured a score of 42 runs in 29 balls with 7 boundaries.
She played a crucial role in guiding her team to a series whitewash against Zimbabwe, while she was dismissed only once throughout the T20I series in January. She accumulated a staggering total of 220 runs in the same month. Her consistent performances highlighted her skills and further solidified her reputation in the world of cricket.
After Gaby Lewis’ 105 not out against Germany at Cartagena in 2021, Hunter made her mark as the second-highest individual score by an Irish woman’s T20Is. Following the list is Nikki Symmons, scoring 86 runs against Netherlands at Potchefstroom back in 2010.
Following the T20 series against Zimbabwe, she also established the record for most runs in a T20 series for Ireland. She scored a total of 240 runs in 5 innings. She surpassed the record of her fellow country player, Orla Prendergast, who previously held the record with 183 runs over 5 series, marking a new milestone in her cricketing journey.