Dubai: Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry shined at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's Awards 2019 on Tuesday as she bagged the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year.
Perry, who became the first player to complete 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20I cricket, was also named as the ICC Women's ODI Player of the Year. She won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the second time in three years.
Perry also said that she is a little bit shocked as there were many amazing performances across the year.
"It's an amazing honour and I'm a little bit shocked, given how many amazing performances there have been across the year. It's amazing to be acknowledged and I do truly appreciate it. It's a really nice way to finish the year on a personal note," ICC quoted Perry as saying.
Reflecting on being named as the ODI Player of the Year, Perry said: "It's been nice to have a chance to tour so consistently with the Australian team. It's been an amazing year. I've really enjoyed all of it and it's just been nice to be a part of it."
"It's so exciting that the T20 World Cup is here at home early next year and with the target of the final at the MCG it could be a really special moment in the game's history," she added.
Perry's teammate Alyssa Healy was named as the T20I Cricketer of the Year for the second year running during the event.
Healy scripted a world record of the highest score by a woman in T20I cricket as she smashed an unbeaten knock of 148 runs off 61 balls against Sri Lanka.
"I'm really pumped to be awarded the T20I Cricketer of the Year. The Australian women's team had a fantastic 12-month period and we played some really consistent T20 cricket. Whilst the individual award is really nice for me personally, I think it was great to see our team play so well throughout that 12-month period, especially leading into a home World Cup in 2020," Healy said.
Also, Chanida Sutthiruang of Thailand was named as the ICC Women's Emerging Player of the Year.
ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney congratulated all the three players.
"On behalf of the ICC I would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Ellyse, Alyssa and Chanida on their well-deserved individual accolades as well as the other players who have made the teams of the year," Sawhney said.
"I'd like to pay particular tribute to Ellyse on winning both the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint trophy and the ODI Cricketer of the Year. She has achieved so much over the last 12 months and becoming the first cricketer in history to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20I cricket is an exceptional achievement," he added.
