Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh earns spots in ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2024

Smriti Mandhana’s earlier dominance in ODIs landed her an all-coveted spot in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year and now in an extension to that, she was also included in the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year. Apart from Mandhana, Richa Ghosh also made the cut for the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year, propagating the collective brilliance of the Royal Challengers all across the globe.

Mandhana scored a staggering 763 runs at an average of 42.38 while scoring at a rate of 126.53. She started the year with a stunning half-century against Australia at the DY Patil Stadium while concluding the year in equally sensational fashion, riding high on the back of three consecutive half-centuries against West Indies. Her consistency in the shortest format of the game saw her grabbing the second position in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings.

Alongside Smriti, Richa Ghosh also made the ripples for all the right reasons. Hammering away at will, Ghosh plundered 365 runs from 21 matches at a staggering average of 33.18 and a whirlwind strike rate of 156.65. She stamped her authority in Dambulla, while rocking an unbeaten 64 off just 29 balls against UAE.

As an ode to her brilliance, she also clobbered a 21-ball-54 against West Indies at the DY Patil Stadium which also happened to be the last T20I series of the calendar year in 2024.

Deepti Sharma was in sensational form as well as the all-rounder rocked with both the bat and the ball in her hands. Sharma registered 30 scalps at an economy rate of 6.01 across the shortest format of the game. Her bowling average of 17.80 was mighty impressive while standout performances of 3/13 against Nepal and 3/20 against Pakistan capped off her brilliant year.

ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2024:

Laura Wolvaardt (cap), Smriti Mandhana, Chamari Athapaththu, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Melie Kerr, Richa Ghosh (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Orla Prendergast, Deepti Sharma, Sadia Iqbal