ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for February 2024 Unveiled
Cast your vote for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month – February 2024.
Annabel Sutherland (Australia)
Accumulated 229 runs and took seven wickets in four matches
Annabel Sutherland made a significant mark in cricket history with her impressive double century in the one-off Test against South Africa.
Prior to the Test series, Sutherland played a key role in Australia’s victory in the ODI series, which was won 2-1 by the hosts. The versatile all-rounder not only bagged two wickets but also contributed crucial runs.
The transition to the Test format proved beneficial for Sutherland. Choosing to bowl first, Australia swiftly dismissed South Africa for a mere 76, with Sutherland’s medium-fast pace dismantling the Proteas’ middle order by claiming the wickets of Sune Luus, Tazmin Brits, and Delmi Tucker.
Annabel Sutherland’s maiden double hundred further bolstered Australia’s position in Perth. #AUSvSA : https://t.co/Jq7PUVOM5x pic.twitter.com/io6BJPsy21
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Her bowling success was followed by an extraordinary batting performance, where Sutherland dominated the game with a swift double century. Achieving this feat in just 248 balls, she set a new record for the fastest double century in Women’s cricket, surpassing fellow Australian Karen Rolton (306 balls).
Sutherland joined an exclusive group as the ninth woman to score a double hundred in a Test and the fifth Australian to do so. At 22, she became the second youngest double centurion in Test cricket, second only to Mithali Raj, who achieved this at 19.
Sutherland was eventually dismissed for 210, falling just three runs short of Ellyse Perry’s 213*, the highest score in Women’s Test cricket by an Australian.
Esha Oza (UAE)
Scored 249 runs and took two wickets in six matches
ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2022, Esha Oza, led from the front, finishing as the top run-scorer in UAE’s successful campaign in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Women’s Premier Cup.
The UAE captain started the T20I tournament with a brisk 32-ball 36 against China and followed it up with a spectacular innings of 114* off 69 balls – her third century in the shortest format – in the second game against Oman.
In the subsequent match, Oza contributed a composed unbeaten 24* during UAE’s successful chase against Japan but faced setbacks in the following two games.
In the tournament final against Malaysia, the 26-year-old rose to the occasion. With a 51-ball 53, laced with three fours and sixes each, Oza played a crucial role in guiding UAE to a formidable total of 105. Additionally, she made a valuable contribution with the ball, taking a wicket as Malaysia stumbled to 68/9, securing a 37-run victory for UAE in the final.
Oza’s exceptional performance in the crucial final earned her the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament awards.
Kavisha Egodage (UAE)
Amassed 218 runs and took eight wickets in six matches
Close on the heels of Esha Oza in the run-scorers chart of the ACC Women’s Premier Cup was her teammate and opening partner, Kavisha Egodage. She not only secured the second-highest run tally but was also the joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker.
Egodage kicked off the tournament with a remarkable all-round performance against China, earning her the Player of the Match award. Her impressive 61-ball 69* first propelled UAE to a strong total of 155/1 before she picked up three middle-order wickets with her crafty right-arm off-spin.
Consistently contributing with the bat, Egodage recorded scores of 38, 34*, 26, and 21, complemented by four wickets throughout the tournament leading up to the final.
In the final, Egodage played a crucial role by scoring a vital 30, forming an 84-run opening partnership with her skipper. The 26-year-old also added to her all-round prowess by picking up a wicket, culminating in a brilliant tournament performance that ultimately saw UAE clinching the coveted trophy.