Amelia Kerr Creates History as First New Zealander to Win ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year

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In a monumental achievement, New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr has been named the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2024, claiming the prestigious Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Kerr is the first New Zealander to win this honor, which recognizes the best female cricketer across all formats of the game in a calendar year.

Kerr's 2024 was nothing short of remarkable, highlighted by her instrumental role in guiding the White Ferns to their first ICC Women's T20 World Cup title. Her performances during the tournament were extraordinary, setting a record for the most wickets in a single edition with 15 dismissals.

In the final against South Africa, Kerr scored a vital 43 off 38 balls and delivered a stunning bowling performance, taking 3/24, including the crucial wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch. Her efforts secured a 32-run victory for New Zealand and earned her the Player of the Tournament accolade.

In T20Is this year, Kerr amassed 387 runs and took 29 wickets at an average of 15.55. Her dominance extended to ODIs, where she scored 264 runs at an average of 33.00 and claimed 14 wickets, including key four-wicket hauls against India and Australia.

Expressing her gratitude, Kerr said, "It's a huge honor to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. For me, it's about contributing to the team and putting in performances that make a difference. I'm incredibly thankful for my support network and teammates."

The 24-year-old edged out fierce competition from South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt, Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu, and Australia's Annabel Sutherland to win the award. This recognition follows her success as the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year, announced earlier this week.

The ICC Awards 2024 have seen winners in 12 categories, determined through votes from the ICC Voting Academy and global fans, with over 1.5 million votes cast online. The highly anticipated Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year will conclude the announcements later today.