England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt was recognised for scoring 894 runs and taking nine wickets in 18 games in 2023; she was named in the Women's ODI and T20I Team of the Year as well
Thursday 25 January 2024 12:49, UK
Nat Sciver-Brunt has been named the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year for the second year in a row following her impressive displays for England.
The all-rounder retained the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award after scoring 894 runs and taking nine wickets in 18 games. Australia captain Pat Cummins picked up the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the equivalent men's award.
Sciver-Brunt was chosen for the accolade over Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu, who was named ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year, and Australia duo Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney.
"It feels pretty special - I wasn't expecting it," Sciver-Brunt said. "Coming up against some players who have obviously done really, really well in 2023.
"I'm really pleased - pretty proud, actually. I'd say it's one of the top awards you can win to come up and compete against your team-mates, but also the rest of the international teams as well. It's pretty special."
Sciver-Brunt scored 393 runs with an average of 131, which included three tons, in ODI cricket, along with half-centuries in the Test matches against Australia and India.
She was England's leading run-scorer at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup too, making 216 runs at a strike-rate of 141.17.
"I can't say I set out this year to be stood here again, but keeping that consistency is something I wanted to do over the last few years," Sciver-Brunt said.
"Hopefully I can go about my processes and go about my games in the same way, and hopefully be stood here again."
Sciver-Brunt was named in the Women's T20I Team of the Year, along with compatriot Sophie Ecclestone, and was the only England player named in the Women's ODI Team of the Year.
However, Lauren Bell missed out on the Women's Emerging Cricketer of the Year prize to Australia's Phoebe Litchfield.
Joe Root was beaten to the Men's Test Cricketer of the Year prize by Australia batter Usman Khawaja, while India's Suryakumar Yadav retained the Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year award and Rachin Ravindra was awarded the Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year accolade.
Root and Stuart Broad were both named in the Men's Test Team of the Year, and Phil Salt earned a place in the Men's T20I Team of the Year.
Meanwhile, umpire Richard Illingworth became the second English official to be awarded the ICC Umpire of the Year accolade.