|
India opener Smriti Mandhana on Sunday won the Best International Women's Cricketer at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Awards 2025.
Mandhana picked up her third Best International Cricketer of the Year (women) award to add to her honours from the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. She enjoyed a standout year, especially in ODIs, where she scored 747 runs at an average of 57.46. She scored four ODI centuries in the calendar year, a new record in the women's game. The ace left-handed batter was also awarded the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year earlier. According to the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC), one of the factors that set the experienced India star apart during the year was how she managed to produce her best against high-calibre opposition, scoring big runs in difficult series. Mandhana set an early standard with back-to-back hundreds to inspire a 3-0 series win against South Africa in June 2024. An outstanding century proved the match-defining contribution in a series decider against New Zealand in October. Mandhana again showcased her ability to dominate the very best with a defiant century in Perth against Australia in a losing cause in December. The 28-year-old southpaw set new career standards in One Day Internationals, scoring more runs than she ever has before in a calendar year, racking up 747 runs in 13 innings across 2024. Mandhana's runs came at an impressive average of 57.86 and she scored at an impressive strike rate of 95.15, helping set an attacking tone for India's top order. She also scored four ODI centuries in the year - a new record in the women's game - and found the boundary more than a hundred times in the year, hitting 95 fours and six maximums across 2024. Unsurprisingly, her phenomenal year cemented her place at the top of the run-scorers charts in the ICC Women's Championship - the ODI table that will cement the qualifiers for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025. Meanwhile, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Saturday was awarded the best international men's cricketer at the BCCI Awards 2025. (ANI)
|
