Wolvaardt, Mandhana, and Athapaththu Named in ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year

The ICC announced the Women's T20I Team of the Year for 2024 on Saturday. South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt has been named the team captain. Already named captain of the ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year, Wolvaardt had a phenomenal T20I season, scoring 673 runs at an average of 39. She made one century and three fifties, finishing as the fourth-highest T20I scorer of the year.

Coming with her at the top of the team is India's Smriti Mandhana, who was the highest run-scorer in T20Is for 2024. Mandhana made 763 runs with an average of 42 and eight fifties to her credit. Coming at No. 3 is Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu, who emerged as the second-highest run-scorer in T20Is that year, scoring 720 runs which included two centuries and four half-centuries. She demonstrated why she's one of the most powerful forces to be reckoned with in T20 cricket.

The backbone of the middle-order in the ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year is the three all-rounders regarded as among the best in the world: West Indies' Hayley Matthews had 538 runs and 14 wickets; England's Nat Sciver-Brunt with 423 runs and 7 wickets; and New Zealand's Melie Kerr with 387 runs and took 29 wickets. Kerr also earned the Player of the Tournament accolade at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 showcasing her all-round brilliance.

Richa Ghosh was included in the team as wicketkeeper and finisher who had a fine show last year scoring 365 runs at a strike rate of 156. Three all-rounders in addition to Ghosh were named, each excellent in one area. Marizanne Kapp of South Africa scored 399 runs and picked 11 wickets and Orla Prendergastscored 544 runs and took 21 wickets maintaining an outstanding average of just 12.9.