Smriti Mandhana makes the cut as ICC releases nominees for Women's player of the year 2022

Smriti Mandhana in action [Source: Twitter]

In a significant development, the International Cricket Council has shortlisted four probables for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Women's Cricketer of the year 2022. 

Besides swashbuckling Indian opener Smriti Mandhana, England all-rounder Nat Sciver, New Zealand prodigy Amelia Kerr and Australian stalwart Beth Mooney have made it into the list. 

The year saw Smriti Mandhana reach new heights, as she finished the year as India's leading run-scorer across formats. She exhibited her prowess, especially in white-ball cricket, powering India to a silver medal in the Commonwealth games. Overall, the stylish southpaw garnered 1290 runs in 38 matches in 2022. 

Similarly, Beth Mooney had another stellar year in international cricket, hammering 925 runs in 25 matches. Although her form slightly faded away towards the backend, the dynamic batter helped Australia record a dominating 4-1 away T20I series win over India through her sensational knocks in the first two fixtures. 

Meanwhile, Sciver and Kerr emerged as two brutal forces on both batting and bowling fronts for their respective teams. While the former amassed 1346 runs and claimed 22 wickets in 33 outings, the latter slammed 1003 runs and scalped 30 wickets in 32 international appearances. 

Also Read: ICC announces nominees for Male Cricketer of the Year