LAHORE: Pakistan women cricket team pacer Fatima Sana has received the trophy from the International Cricket Council after being named the Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year, following her all-round performance in the international circuit.
“It’s an absolute honor to receive the trophy of ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer Of The Year. Onwards and upwards. Pakistan Zindabad,” the right-arm pacer wrote on Twitter.
Alhumdullilah ❤️
It’s an absolute honor to receive the trophy of @ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer Of The Year.Onwards and upwards InshaAllah????????
Pakistan Zindabad ????????#iccawards2021 #icc #emergingcricketer #pcb #blessed pic.twitter.com/TPTtDiIp6p— Fatima Sana???????? (@imfatimasana) April 7, 2022
The award marks the first ICC accolade won by a Pakistani woman cricketer, making it a huge accomplishment for the young star.
The ICC in a statement said that the 20-year-old “impressed one and all with her all-round efforts in 2021”. Her figures for the year consist of 24 wickets at an average of 23.95 and 165 runs at 16.50 in 16 international matches.
“She became an integral part of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I side owing to her wicket-taking ability as a bowler, and ability to add handy runs down the order at the same time,” the statement read.
A new star is born ????
Fatima Sana ruled the roost in 2021 ????
More ???? https://t.co/dO50jovOP2 pic.twitter.com/8fjFcxmFeG
— ICC (@ICC) January 23, 2022
The ICC noted that aside from playing at home, Sana toured Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and “delivered impressive all-round performances everywhere”.
“In fact, 18 of her 24 wickets in the year came in the 11 matches she played against the West Indies. Sana showed a lot of heart against the attacking West Indies batters and succeeded in keeping them at bay,” it said.
Memorable performance
Sana’s “most memorable performance” was witnessed in July against West Indies as she claimed her maiden five-for in ODIs and also played an attacking knock of 28* to power Pakistan to a 22-run win (D/L Method), the ICC said.
“Pakistan had already lost the series going into this ODI but this win served as a great confidence-booster for the team and the young Sana as well. With the bat, Sana added vital runs in the slog overs. As a bowler, she claimed the big wickets of Deandra Dottin and Britney Cooper with the new ball and then came back at the death to clean up the tail, thus registering bowling figures of 5/39,” the ICC noted.
