INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
has been honoured with the team captaincy.The ICC Team of the Year recognises 11 outstanding individuals who have impressed throughout 2023,
smashing 68 off 50 balls to help Sri Lanka beat South Africa by three runs
The big upset win set the tone for a remarkable year for Sri Lanka women and Athapaththu was at the forefront of it all.She finished with
470 runs in the year, scoring at a quicker-than-usual strike-rate of 130.91
recording an unbeaten 80 in 47 balls in Colombo to help Sri Lanka pull back a win in the three-match series against New Zealand
an average of 41 and a strike rate of 120.58, Beth Mooney was a key performer for the all-conquering Australians who claimed another T20
World Cup trophy.Mooney began her year with 46 (29) against Pakistan in Hobart, and despite a slow start in the successful campaign in South
Africa, flourished when her side needed it most.The left-hander made 56* (53) to kick into gear, before a crucial half-century against India
in the semi-final at Newlands
Ashes and a home series against the West Indies
Mooney made scores of 61*, 22, and 32 against England on the away trip.Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)Only Hayley Matthews made more runs
into the year with a knock of 42* (39) against the West Indies in East London, and pushed on with three consecutive fifties as the Proteas
made their World Cup charge.Wolvaardt continued in the same vein when travelling to Pakistan, making 44, 41, and 72 in Karachi, before
T20I all-rounder put on a remarkable performance for the ages against Australia in a bilateral T20I series in the second half of the year
Her stellar showing in the series saw her make scores of 99*, 132, and 79 as the West Indies skipper proved to be a thorn in the Australian
Cup, making 130 runs and taking four wickets and four catches
She also picked up 19 wickets at an average of 16.21 in the year.Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)Making 364 runs at 45.50 and a strike rate close
to 136, Nat Sciver-Brunt continued to match her reputation as one of the best players in the world, only dismissed twice under 10 across the
year in the T20I format.Sciver-Brunt reached 40 in four or five knocks at the T20 World Cup in South Africa, making 50 (42) against India in
Gqeberha and 81* (40) against Pakistan in Cape Town
The right-hander made 40 (34) in the semi-final against South Africa, and went on to make another half-century (77 from 53 balls) against
India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.Sciver-Brunt chimed in with the ball at times, taking five wickets at an economy of better than
alongside 12 wickets in 11 bowling efforts with her leg-spin.With the bat, Kerr averaged close to 37 with a strike rate of 115.50, making
three half-centuries over the year
Her knock of 66 from 48 balls against Sri Lanka was a highlight for the White Ferns at the T20 World Cup, also hitting 70* (46) in bilateral
action against the Proteas later in the year.A spell of 3/23 against Australia in Paarl was a highlight on the bowling side, also taking
3/11 against Pakistan in Queenstown at the end of the year.Ellyse Perry (Australia)Despite a lean run at the start of the year, Perry ended
year was her continued aggressive intent with the bat as she made 319 runs in 10 innings at an average of 45.57 and a strike-rate of 151.18
With 11 sixes in the year, she surpassed her personal best and showcased a different range to her T20 game.While her batting stood out in a
year where she had little to do with the ball, a standout highlight was a remarkable piece of fielding in the T20 World Cup semi-final game
With 18 needed off 9 balls, Perry stopped a boundary in stunning fashion, throwing herself into the air and flicking the ball back to save
two runs.Ash Gardner (Australia)Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup in 2023, Gardner provided both highlight moments and a
dependable consistency as Australia powered to more silverware.Gardner made 234 runs at 29.25 with a strike rate of 121.24 across the year,
of which 110 were made at the T20 World Cup
highlight, but her ability to tie oppositions down in clutch situations
Her 1/20 in the T20 World Cup final stifling the South Africans in Cape Town helped the favourites overpower the hosts, and Gardner finished
the year with 17 wickets at 19.70 with an economy of 7.33
Gardner finished the year with a spell of 3/32 (3.5) against the West Indies in Brisbane to solidify her credentials as a no-doubt
selection.Deepti Sharma (India)Deepti Sharma proved difficult to get away for almost every opponent in 2023, going at less than a run a ball
across almost 60 overs for India
World Cup in Cape Town, finishing with 3/15 in four overs against the West Indies, as the spinner helped her country reach the knockout
stages of the tournament.The lower-order batter also chipped in with the bat when required, making 106 runs at a rate of better than a run a
matches, with an amazing average of 10.60 and bowled at an economy rate of 5.65
She ended the year on a high, returning to the side after a surgery to her dislocated right shoulder, and finishing the T20Is against India
as the joint-highest wicket-taker.Megan Schutt (Australia)So crucial with the new ball, Megan Schutt again stepped up for Australia when
needed, taking 21 wickets at 15.57 at a rate of just 6.81 runs per over.Schutt claimed 5/15 (4) against Pakistan to begin the year, and
raced into the T20 World Cup with seven wickets in the first three matches of the campaign.The swing bowler went on to claim a wicket in
