The ICC Women’s Player of December Award has been nominated for India-Smriti Mandhana, Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, and South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Regarding the field and forms of performance, Smriti Mandhana was in India during the tours and home series as a significant contributor. She had a rocky start in the ODI series against Australia but came back to roar with a brilliant century (105 off 109 balls) scored in the third ODI. This third ODI laid the foundation for her exceptional performances in the home series that followed against the West Indies.
Mandhana’s T20I performances against the West Indies were great to watch; he hammered three consecutive half-centuries and contributed to India clinching the series 2-1. She was renowned for her ability to anchor innings at a brisk strike rate, making her a candidate for one of the best batters in women’s cricket.
In ODIs, she scored 270 runs in six matches at an average of 45.00 and a strike rate of 91.52, whereas in T20Is, she scored 193 runs in three matches at an average of 64.33 and a strike rate of 59.50
Australia’s Annabel Sutherland was one of the key players to remain unbeaten in her teams ODI campaign in December. The all-rounder in fact outdid herself, scoring two unbelievable centuries-an outstanding 110 against India in Perth and an unbeaten 105 against New Zealand in Wellington. She added a lot of depth to the Australian lineup, based upon the bat at her aggressive yet composed display.
Her contributions with the ball were equally influential. Her 4/39 match-winning performance in the second ODI against India demonstrated her capacity to deliver under pressure. Sutherland took nine wickets in five ODIs in December, boasting a remarkable economy rate of 3.85. Her performance saw her score 269 runs at an average of 67.25 and a strike rate of 113.98 also nine wickets at an average of 16.22 and an economy rate of 3.85.
In December, her all-around heroics earned her a second Player of the Series Award.
Nonkululeko Mlaba from South Africa, etched her name in the history books by her record-breaking performance in the one-off Test match against England. She became the first South African woman to take a 10-wicket haul in Tests, with remarkable figures of 10 wickets at an average of 15.70.
That Test match was lost for South Africa, but when looking at the positive aspects on Mlaba’s performance, it was rather magnificent and proof of her spinning capabilities in the longest form of the game. She also featured in the ODI series against England in which she took two wickets and contributed 20 runs.
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