Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been nominated alongside four other star players for the ICC ODI Women's Cricketer of the Year for 2024 award. Mandhana had a stellar year in the 50-over format as she builds herself up for the Women's ODI World Cup next year in India.
Mandhana was the leading run-scorer in Women's ODI cricket in 2024, scoring 747 runs from 13 innings at an average of 57.46. She also slammed four centuries and three half tons and was a vital cog in her team's victories.
She hit a pair of centuries against South Africa in June before smashing two more later in the year. She had the highest score of 136 and struck her runs at 95.15.
Alongside Mandhana, Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt and Australia's Annabel Sutherland have also been nominated for the yearly award. Wolvaardt was the second-highest run-scorer of the year as she made 697 runs in 12 innings at an average of 87.12.
She hit three centuries and three half-tons in what was a splendid year for the Proteas skipper.
Sri Lankan icon Athapaththu has also been nominated for the yearly award. Athapaththu hit 458 ruins in nine innings at an average of 65.42 with one century and two half-tons in what was a prolific year for her.
Australian star all-rounder Sutherland also had a strong year across both the formats. Sutherland was Australia's highest run-scorer in ODIs in 2024. She made 369 runs in 9 innings at an average of 52.71 with two centuries and one fifty.
Alongside the Women's nominations, the ICC has also revealed the contenders for the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year. Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga, Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai and West Indies' Sherfane Rutherford have been nominated for the ODI Cricketer of the Year award.
Wanindu was the star with the ball as he took 26 wickets at an average of 15.61 and made 87 runs. Omarzai hit 417 runs at 52.12 and took 7 wickets at 20.47. Kusal Mendis made 742 runs at 53.00. Rutherford made 425 runs at an average of 106.25.
