The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the women’s One Day International and T20I teams of the year. New Zealand’s Suzie Bates was named the captain of the limited overs game while India’s Harmanpreet Kaur was appointed skipper of the shortest format of the game.
ICC ODI and T20I teams of the year were selected by the voting academy, which comprised members of the media and broadcasters. The same voting committee also voted for the annual women’s individual awards.
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Bates was announced the ODI skipper because of her contribution in taking New Zealand to the second position in the ICC Women’s Championship after three rounds. Bates has scored 438 runs with the help of two hundreds and one fifty in seven games. Bates is currently placed at the seventh spot in the ICC Women’s Players Rankings for ODI Batswomen.
Harmanpreet Kaur was named the T20I skipper for ICC team of the year after India’s stellar campaign in the recently concluded World T20 tournament.
When Kaur got to know that she was appointed the ICC T20 skipper, she was delighted.
“To be honest, it was really surprising for me. The last two years we did not get enough T20I matches to play and it was really tough for me to build that confidence in the team and show that self-belief that we can do well in T20Is. Credit goes to all team members, the way they worked hard and show that self-belief,” Harmanpreet Kaur said, adding, “This award means a lot to me to build my confidence, BCCI is showing confidence on me – that I can do well in the format and I am looking forward to do well in the future.”
Responding to the news on getting appointed ODI skipper, Bates said, “Thank you very much to everyone who voted for the ICC team of the year. To be named captain is just an absolute honour. Obviously, I have been playing for a long time and stepped down from captaincy, but to be named captain of a World XI is pretty special and something I will always remember.”
“It would be nice one day if we got together to play as a group and to captain some of the superstars, but once again such a huge honour and congratulations to all the award winners for this year,” Bates added.
India’s T20I vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and wrist spinner Poonam Yadav are the two India girls who feature in both the ODI and T20I squads.
ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year (in batting order): Smriti Mandhana (India), Tammy Beaumont (England), Suzie Bates (New Zealand) (captain), Dane van Niekerk (South Africa), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Alyssa Healy (Australia) (wicketkeeper), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Deandra Dottin (Windies), Sana Mir (Pakistan), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Poonam Yadav (India).
ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year (in batting order): Smriti Mandhana (India), Alyssa Healy (Australia) (wicketkeeper), Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Harmanpreet Kaur (India) (captain), Natalie Sciver (England), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Ashleigh Gardner (Australia), Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand), Megan Schutt (Australia), Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh), Poonam Yadav (India).