The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, December 29, revealed the nominations for the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year for 2021. The list features South African opener Lizelle Lee, England’s Tammy Beaumont, West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews, and Pakistan batter Fatima Sana.
In 11 matches that she has played so far this year, Lizelle Lee aggregated 632 runs at an average of 90.28. This includes one century and five half-centuries. She finished as the highest run-scorer of this year in the 50-over format.
She played a pivotal role in helping the Proteas win the series against India by 4-1 by contributing 288 runs, including a hundred and two fifties. Lee scored the highest individual ODI score of her career, 132* off 131, in the third match of the ODI series against India. Being the highest run-scorer of the series, she was adjudged as the Player of the Series. Against West Indies also, she ended the series as the top run-scorer.
The second nominee of the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year, Tammy Beaumont ends the year as the joint second-highest run-scorer in ODIs, tied on 503 runs with India’s Mithali Raj. She kick-started her year on a high note, scoring four consecutive fifties in her first four ODIs. She was the leading run-scorer in the ODI series when England travelled to New Zealand.
During the home series against India, she starred with her brilliant 87* in the first match. In the final ODI against New Zealand, she registered her eighth ODI century, scoring 102, while helping England post a colossal total of 347. Her side won the game by a whopping 203 runs.
For the exuberant West Indies all-rounder Hayley Mattews, it was a year of big numbers. She amassed 380 runs in 14 matches at an average of 29.23 with one century and one half-century, while adding 18 wickets to her kitty at an average of 22.44 and an economy rate of 3.33.
She finished in the top 10 ODI run-getters and wicket-takers of the year. Matthews was the Player of the Series in the home ODI series against Pakistan, during which she scored 168 runs, which included a century, and clinched seven wickets. Her contribution helped West Indies win the series by 3-2. In the first ODI, she scored a half-century and took three wickets, and then followed it up with a four-wicket haul in the second. She finished the series with a 49-run knock in the last match.
Fatima Sana picked up 20 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 24.90 with one five-wicket haul this year. She also amassed 132 runs at an average of 14.66 in the games.
The 20-year old made, who made her ODI debut in 2019, emerged as one of the most consistent players of 2021, which earned her the nomination in the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year. During the South Africa series, in three games, she took two wickets and made useful contributions with the bat. She took a wicket and scored an unbeaten 22 in the second ODI.
Sana finished the five-match series against the West Indies as the second-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets, including a first-ever ODI five-for. With four and three wickets respectively in the home series against the West Indies in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, she maintained her excellent form.
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