Australians dominate ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year for 2023
The ICC Team of the Year recognises 11 outstanding individuals who have impressed throughout 2023, be it with the bat, the ball or their all-round exploits across the calendar year.
We take a look at the ICC Women’s ODI team of the Year for 2023.
Phoebe Litchfield (Australia)
With 485 runs in the year in ODIs, 20-year-old Phoebe Litchfield announced herself to international cricket in spectacular fashion. She was the second-highest run-getter in the year in women’s ODIs, averaging 53.8 with the bat with a century and four fifties.
In an Australian side filled with superstars, Litchfield carved out a place of her own with an impressive first year. She began her ODI career with back-to-back half-centuries, but reserved her best for late in the year, where on her maiden tour of India, she stood apart from the rest.
Litchfield made 78 and 63 in the first two games of the series and walked away with the Player of the Series award. She also made her maiden ODI ton in the year against Ireland.
In four of the 14 ODIs she played in the year, the young sensation was awarded the Player of the Match award.
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
Chamari Athapaththu showcased exceptional skills as a player in the ODI format throughout the year.
Her standout moment came in the series decider against New Zealand, where she played a stunning unbeaten 140 off just 80 balls, leading her team to a historic victory after a shaky start in the chase.
She also led Sri Lanka to a 1-0 series win over Bangladesh in a rain-truncated decider, where she contributed with both bat and ball. Her finest performances, though, came against New Zealand, where she guided Sri Lanka to their first-ever bilateral series win with two fiery centuries.
Athapaththu’s sublime form throughout the year saw her rack up 415 runs in just eight ODIs, averaging 69.16 and notably scoring at a rate of over 125. She walks into the Women’s ODI Team of the Year as one of the two openers.
Ellyse Perry (Australia)
Although Ellyse Perry could not add to her career ODI century count in 2023, she enjoyed a stellar year, knocking off five fifties in the 10 innings she batted.
Perry was Australia’s highest run-scorer in the Women’s Ashes in England, making 185 runs in three ODI innings, including two fifties and another score in the forties.
The senior Australian player once again played a big role in the series in India, reeling off half-centuries in the first two games as Australia took an unassailable lead in the three-match series.
Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)
The top-scorer in the year in women’s ODIs, Amelia Kerr was one of the contenders for the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023.
The White Ferns all-rounder made 541 runs during the year, averaging 67.62 with two hundreds and three fifties. She also contributed with the ball, taking eight wickets with her leg-breaks.
Kerr shone as one of the few highlights for New Zealand during their June-July series against Sri Lanka, despite the team's 2-1 defeat. She starred in the White Ferns’ only win of the series with a century and a wicket.
Kerr earned the Player of the Series award in New Zealand's last ODI series of the year against Pakistan, showcasing her skills with two half-centuries and contributing with five wickets in the three-match contest.
Beth Mooney (wk) (Australia)
Beth Mooney was yet again outstanding in the middle-order in ODIs, making 439 runs at an average over 60. The left-hander began the year with a Player of the Series performance against Pakistan, making scores of 57* and 133.
She carried the form to the Women’s Ashes, where in the first ODI, she made an unbeaten 81 despite her partners struggling a touch.
Mooney also stood as wicketkeeper in four ODIs in the year and will be the wicketkeeper for this ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year 2023.
Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)
Nat Sciver-Brunt played only six ODIs in the year, but such was the impression that she made that she forced her way into the Women’s ODI Player of the Year shortlist and the best XI of the year.
With three centuries in the six games, Nat Sciver-Brunt was in outrageous form, and carried England to a famous ODI series win against the Aussies, their first over them since 2013.
She starred with a Player of the Series award in the Women’s Ashes ODI series, smashing two hundreds while also picking up three wickets. Her strong performances won her the Player of the Series award.
She further made another hundred, smashing a 74-ball 120 against Sri Lanka as England won the series 2-0.
England star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt received two big ICC awards after her superb performances in 2022.
Ash Gardner (Australia)
With 24 wickets in 13 ODIs, Ash Gardner was the leading wicket-taker in women’s ODIs in 2023. While not contributing heavily with the bat during the year, her best came against England in Southampton in an ODI where her all-round showing stood out.
Gardner made a fighting 33 off 37 balls coming in to bat in a precarious situation and then went on to three important wickets, including that of Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones, to turn the game in Australia’s favour.
Despite not scoring big runs, Gardner made her runs at a rate of nearly 120 with the bat in 2023, highlighting her utility as an all-rounder.
Annabel Sutherland (Australia)
Tough lower-order runs and some crucial wickets with the ball saw Annabel Sutherland catapult herself into the Women’s ODI Team of the Year.
While her 47-ball 50 from No.7 in Southampton was crucial to Australia winning by three runs, her most impressive knock in the year came as opener.
Opening the batting for the first time in her ODI career against Ireland, Sutherland hit a century, her maiden one in ODIs. With the ball, she took 13 wickets in as many games, bowling at an economy rate under five runs per over. Her best came in Melbourne at the start of the year against the Windies, when she took 3-6 in five overs in a rain-affected match.
Notably, she also took 10 catches as an outfielder.
Nadine de Klerk (South Africa)
Nadine de Klerk stood out as South Africa’s star bowler, filling in the gaping hole left by Shabnim Ismail’s retirement.
De Klerk took 16 wickets in nine ODIs in the year, averaging 16.68 with the ball.
The South African’s most impressive performance came against Pakistan in Karachi, where she snared a four-wicket haul. But de Klerk was consistent in the year, taking three-plus wickets in four ODIs she played in 2023.
She also played a more than handy role with the bat, making 181 runs at an average of 45.25 with two fifties. She won the Player of the Series in Pakistan for her significant all-round contributions as South Africa won the series 2-1.
Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand)
Lea Tahuhu played only nine ODIs in 2023, but shone with 15 wickets at an impressive average of 20.86.
The experienced White Ferns pacer also moved into the top 10 of the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings during the year.
Her best performance came in Galle in the second ODI of the series against Sri Lanka, where she took 4/31 to bowl Sri Lanka out for 213.
Nahida Akter (Bangladesh)
The Bangladesh spinner took 20 wickets in the year in ODIs, the second-highest for anyone in women’s ODIs in 2023.
She shone with seven wickets in Bangladesh’s series victory over Pakistan at home. Notably, in the second ODI of the series, the game ended in a tie and Nahida was charged with the responsibility of bowling in the Super Over.
She took two wickets in five balls to end Pakistan’s Super Over, conceding only seven runs, which Bangladesh surpassed to come back into the series after a loss in the first game.
In the third ODI in Mirpur, Nahida starred again with a three-wicket haul to help Bangladesh seal a series win. She also had a good home series against India, taking six wickets at an average of 15.