Smriti Mandhana Bags ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award 2024: A further milestone of this illustrious Indian-born cricketer, Smriti Mandhana, winning the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2024. Mandhana hoped 2024 would solidify her reputation as one of the best cricketers in women’s cricket for her stellar performance with the bat during the calendar year when top offshore cricketers were vying for a chance to win against her.
Smriti won this award for the second time after her first award was in 2018. In 2024, sidetracked by her terrific batting performance, Mandhana amassed a total of 747 runs in as many as 13 innings at a tremendous average, putting her a step ahead of key contenders Laura Wolvaardt from South Africa, Chamari Athapaththu from Sri Lanka, and Annabel Sutherland of Australia.
A Stellar 2024 Season for Smriti Mandhana
The 2024 year started with some historic performances from Smriti. She reclaimed the record for walks in a calendar year in international cricket, racking up a tremendous total of 1,602 runs across all formats. Among others, she created a benchmark for women’s T20 internationals with the most runs in a single year with a total of 747 runs.
A Decorated Career
At just 28 years of age, her trophy cabinet has already received many accolades by now. Besides the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and 2024, she has been named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and 2021. On several occasions, she found herself in ICC Teams of the Year:
ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year – 2018, 2019, 2022
ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year – 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
She was also included in ICC Women’s Team of the Year – 2016
The Pride of Indian Cricket
Mandhana’s success speaks well of Indian cricket and is a further point of great pride for her. Just looking at her elegant technique and aggressive stroke and the shade of coolness with which she flaunts her not-so-innocent technique puts her in line with the famed ancestor of aspiring cricketers worldwide. Thanks, elegant stroke maker, and calmness that has robbed the game of an ever-faithful servant for a whole generation, for being such a well-being role model.
Also Read: ICC Announce 2024 Men’s T20I Team Of The Year, Rohit Sharma Captains The Squad
Mandhana thanked her teammates, support staff, and fans, saying, “This award is not mine; it is the collective effort of the team and everyone who has supported me. I have such a good feeling representing my country and being able to contribute to its success.”
With rising stature in her profession, she will remain as the backbone of the Indian women’s cricket setup. All these years, if the hunger continues, she will set more records and help in raising the country to the top plateau. 2024 is going to be one of the most prime years for any batter in modern history, and she has become the face of modern cricket.
