Knight, Stafanie lead ICC Women’s ODI, T20 teams

DUBAI: Heather Knight, the England all-rounder, was named as the captain of International Cricket Council’s Women’s ODI team of the year, while Stafanie Taylor will lead the T20I side. The panel took into account performances for the duration - September 21, 2016 to date.

Under Knight’s leadership, England won the Women’s World Cup this year. During the time period that was taken into consideration to select the side, Knight also compiled 725 runs at an average of 42.64 and took 14 scalps. Meg Lanning, who compiled 819 runs at 74.45 in the time period, will open the batting with England’s Tammy Beaumont (785 runs). The strong batting line-up also consists batters such as Mithali Raj (889 runs) and Amy Satterthwaite (1183 runs), while Sarah Taylor was been picked as the wicketkeeper. The veteran cricketer accrued 525 runs and effected 10 dismissals.

Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp, the seasoned campaigners from South Africa, were also selected. Van Niekerk, who leads South Africa, took 39 scalps at 18.56 and scored 636 runs in the time period, while Kapp bagged 38 scalps and compiled 434 runs. Ellyse Perry, the bedrock of the Australian team, (905 runs at 82.27 and 22 wickets) also made the side. Ekta Bisht (34 scalps), the Indian left-arm spinner, Alex Hartley (33 wickets), who too bowls slow left-arm orthodox, have been included as the frontline spinners.

Meanwhile, Taylor (226 runs at 53.2) will lead the T20I side. Harmanpreet Kaur (231 runs at 57.75), Sophie Devine (172 runs and two wickets), Megan Schutt (seven scalps at 20), Deandra Dottin (206 runs and six wickets) and the promising legspinner, Amanda-Jade Wellington, (nine scalps at 10.33) are some of the other members of the side. Meanwhile, Bisht is the only player to make it to both the sides.

ODI Team of the Year: Tammy Beaumont (England), Meg Lanning (Australia), Mithali Raj (India), Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Heather Knight (captain) (England), Sarah Taylor (wicketkeeper) (England), Dane van Niekerk (South Africa), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Ekta Bisht (India), Alex Hartley (England)

T20I Team of the Year: Beth Mooney (wicketkeeper) (Australia), Danni Wyatt (England), Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Stafanie Taylor (captain) (Windies), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Deandra Dottin (Windies), Hayley Matthews (Windies), Megan Schutt (Australia), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia), Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand) and Ekta Bisht (India).