New Zealand's Melie Kerr named ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024

New Zealand allrounder Melie Kerr has bagged the prestigious ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award for 2024. The 24-year-old has become just the second New Zealander after her teammate Suzie Bates to win the award.

She bagged the award after a memorable year with both bat and ball. Melie Kerr helped New Zealand win their first-ever T20 World Cup title and was also adjudged the Player of the Tournament. What made the year even more special was her penchant to deliver in crunch situations during the World Cup.

In the semifinal against West Indies, she was the most economical bowler of the game. Melie Kerr picked up 2 wickets for just 14 runs as New Zealand beat the 2016 T20 World Cup champions by eight runs. In the final, she contributed with both bat and ball as New Zealand beat South Africa to create history.

Batting at number three, she was the top-scorer in the game, scoring 43 runs from 38 balls. With the ball, she turned the game on its head by taking two wickets in an over after South Africa were off to a good start. She eventually finished the game with impressive figures of 3 for 24.

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A year to remember for Melie Kerr:

Overall in 2024, Melie Kerr scored 387 runs and picked up a record 29 wickets in 18 T20Is. She also broke the record for taking the most T20I wickets by a New Zealand women's cricketer in a calendar year.

In the T20 World Cup, Kerr had picked up 15 wickets which is the most ever by a single bowler at an ICC Women’s T20I World Cup. She picked her wickets at an average of 7.33 and a stunning economy rate of 4.85. With the bat, she had scored 135 runs in 6 innings in the marquee event.

Meanwhile, India star Arshdeep Singh has been named as the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year. The left-arm pacer starred with the ball as India won the T20 World Cup after a gap of 17 years. He finished the competition as the joint-highest wicket-taker, taking 17 wickets in 8 games. Overall, he picked up 36 wickets in 18 T20Is last year.