ICC names Women's T20I Team of the year, Smriti Mandhana sole Indian included

The governing body of world cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the ICC Women’s Team of the Year. However, what really stands out here is that only one Indian player has found a special mention in this team. While there were no ICC events for the women’s cricketers in the year gone by, the players who performed exceptionally well in 2021 have found a place in the team announced by ICC recently.

Meanwhile, here’s a look at the ICC’s Women Team of the Year in the shortest format of the game. Star Team Indian batter Smriti Mandhana has been named in the cricket world body’s women’s team of the year. In fact, the ICC has included her in the world XI as an opener. At the same time, Mandhana is the sole Indian to find a place on this list.

Smriti Mandhana named in ICC Women’s Team Of The Year

The elegant batter who is also India’s vice-captain in T20Is was the team’s highest scorer in the format having amassed 255 runs averaging 31.87 at a strike rate of 131.44 in 2021. The southpaw scored two half-centuries from nine matches.

While Smriti Mandhana was the only Indian to feature in the list, it included many English cricketers with Nat Sciver named captain. English batter Tammy Beaumont, her compatriot Danni White, Irish all-rounder Gaby Lewis, Amy Jones, Sophie Eccelstone, the South African duo of Mariazanne Kapp, and, Laura Wolvaardt, Zimbabwe’s Loryn Phiri, and, South African fast bowling sensation Shabnim Ismail.

As of now, the women cricketers are focusing on the upcoming edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 which will be played in New Zealand from 4 March to 3 April. England will be defending the title. India, who had finished as the runners-up in the 2017 edition, would be hoping to go a step further and manage a podium finish. Mithali Raj would be leading the Indian team and this World Cup could be the swansong of veterans Raj & star pacer Jhulan Goswami.

The ICC Women’s World Cup was originally scheduled to be held in 2021 but, was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.