The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the shortlist for the prestigious ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024. Four outstanding players have made the cut—Sri Lanka’s inspirational skipper Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa’s prolific run-scorer Laura Wolvaardt, New Zealand’s all-round dynamo Melie Kerr, and Ireland’s rising star Orla Prendergast. These players delivered exceptional performances throughout the year, elevating their teams and setting new benchmarks in the shortest format of the game.
Orla Prendergast: Ireland’s Dynamic All-Rounder
In 2024, Orla Prendergast emerged as Ireland’s standout performer in Women’s T20Is, finishing the year as the second-highest run-scorer and leading wicket-taker for her team in any calendar year. Across 18 matches, Prendergast amassed 544 runs at an impressive average of 36.26, including a top score of 80. With the ball, she scalped 21 wickets at an average of 12.9, with best figures of 4/22.
Her contributions were pivotal in Ireland’s successful campaigns, including whitewashes over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, with Prendergast claiming the Player of the Series award in the latter. Notable performances also came against higher-ranked teams like England and Sri Lanka, where her all-round efforts helped Ireland tie the series on home soil. Her crowning moment came in the second T20I against England in September. After taking 2/31 with the ball, dismissing key players like Georgia Adams, Prendergast produced a career-best knock of 80 off 51 balls in a successful chase, cementing her status as a game-changer.
Melie Kerr: The Architect of New Zealand’s World Cup Glory
Melie Kerr’s 2024 was nothing short of remarkable, as she played a central role in New Zealand’s maiden Women’s T20 World Cup triumph. Across 18 matches, Kerr accumulated 387 runs at an average of 24.18, with a highest score of 44*. Her leg-spin accounted for 29 wickets at an average of 15.55, with best figures of 4/20, setting a national record for the most T20I wickets in a calendar year.
Kerr’s World Cup campaign was extraordinary, with 135 runs and a record 15 wickets, her performances peaking in the knockout stages. In the final against South Africa, she contributed 43 runs to stabilize the innings and then took 3/24, dismissing Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch in the same over to seal a historic win. Her Player of the Match performance epitomized her all-round brilliance.
Laura Wolvaardt: South Africa’s Prolific Leader
Laura Wolvaardt continued her remarkable ascent as a leader and batter, amassing 673 runs across 19 matches at an average of 39.58, including a maiden T20I century against Sri Lanka. Her consistency at the top of the order was instrumental in South Africa reaching their second consecutive T20 World Cup final, where she also finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
Wolvaardt’s defining moment came in January against Australia in Canberra. Chasing 143, she anchored South Africa’s innings with an unbeaten 58, guiding her team to their first-ever victory over Australia in women’s internationals. Another standout performance was her partnership with Anneke Bosch during the semi-final win over Australia, showcasing her ability to deliver under pressure.
Chamari Athapaththu: Sri Lanka’s Record-Breaking Skipper
Chamari Athapaththu reaffirmed her status as Sri Lanka’s greatest-ever female cricketer with another expectational year. She amassed 720 runs across 21 matches at an average of 40, with two centuries and four fifties, including a highest score of 119*. Additionally, her left-arm spin yielded 21 wickets at an average of 16.8, with best figures of 4/29.
Athapaththu’s standout performance came during the Asia Cup final against India in Dambulla. Chasing 166, she scored a brilliant 61, building a match-winning partnership with Harshitha Samarawickrama to secure Sri Lanka’s first-ever Asia Cup triumph. Her all-round heroics throughout the year underscored her immense value to the team.
Chamari Athapaththu, Laura Wolvaardt, Melie Kerr, and Orla Prendergast have lit up 2024 with their extraordinary performances. With the ICC revealing the nominees for the Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year, one thing stands out: these players have defined 2024 as an extraordinary year for the sport.
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