3 Indian players who can win the ICC Women's ODI cricketer of the year in 2023

Three Indian women were a part of the ICC's Women's ODI Team of the Year, which was announced recently. South Africa are the only other country to have three players on that esteemed list, with players from England, Australia and New Zealand also present.

Along with that, a few individual awards were also announced by the ICC, pretty much like they do every year. The Women's ODI Cricket of the Year was snapped up by England's Nat Sciver for her sensational performances throughout the year. Smriti Mandhana is the only Indian player to have won this award in the past.

Apart from that, Renuka Singh Thakur clinched the Emerging Player of the Year award this year. With the way the Women in Blue performed in 2022, there were a few standout players for the side. However, the team will want to go one step further to win individual and collective honors in 2023.

On that note, we take a look at three Indian players who could win the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2023.

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#1 Smriti Mandhana

Having already won the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2021, Smriti Mandhana will be aiming to become only the second player to win the award twice in her career. Only Suzie Bates from New Zealand has achieved this feat so far.

Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian side, was the second-highest run-scorer for the team last year. She amassed 696 runs in 15 ODIs, averaging 49.71. The batter from Sangali also scored six half-centuries and a century in that time, playing a crucial part in India's progress at the World Cup and other major tournaments, albeit in different formats.

With eyes on the ultimate prize with the T20 World Cup lined up in February, Mandhana will once again have a key role to play for India. If she manages to tick those boxes, individual and collective awards might be galore.

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#2 Harmanpreet Kaur

The Indian captain had a sensational year in 2022, leading the run-scoring charts for her side in ODIs. Harmanpreet Kaur scored 754 runs at an average of 58, including five fifties and a couple of centuries last year.

She put on an absolute show alongside her partner-in-crime, Mandhana, against the West Indies at the World Cup last year. Kaur then followed it up with another memorable hundred against England in the ODI series later that year, leading India to a 3-0 whitewash.

When the ICC announced their ODI Team of the Year for 2022, Harmanpreet was named the captain of the side. If she can continue her fine form this year, there could be big things in store for her in 2023 too.

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#3 Renuka Singh Thakur

The winner of the ICC Emerging Cricket of the Year in 2022, Renuka Singh impressed one and all with her magnificent performances. With 18 wickets at an economy rate of 4.88 in just seven matches, the right-arm medium pacer was lethal with the new ball.

The Himachal Pradesh-born bowler was incredibly potent last year, leading the line for India with 40 wickets in 29 white-ball matches she played. With her level of consistency, Renuka is on her way to filling the big boots of legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami.

If she can maintain the standards she has set, there's no reason why she won't be in contention to win the trophy. If she does manage to do so, she will be the first bowler to win the award.