ST JOHN’S—West Indies Cricket Board president, Dave Cameron, has hailed Stafanie Taylor’s capture of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 International Cricketer of the Year award and says the honour will further boost women’s cricket in the region.
The 24-year-old Taylor was on Wednesday honoured with the award for the year 2015 by cricket’s world governing body after dominating the international circuit with 340 runs from nine matches including three half-centuries, during the period under review.
“Stafanie has demonstrated that she is not just an excellent batter and bowler but also a very good leader,” Cameron said.
“She did a fantastic job when she took over the captaincy against Pakistan earlier this year and was immediately rewarded with a series victory.
“This award will help raise the profile of women’s cricket in the West Indies as it is further proof that young women in the Caribbean can rise to the top of the world in their chosen endeavor.”
The right-handed Taylor has been a prolific scorer for West Indies, ever since making her debut as a 16-year-old back in 2008. Such form landed her the ICC One-Day International Player of the Year awards in 2011 and 2012.
Last September, she was elevated to the post of captain and inspired here side to a 3-0 victory over touring Pakistan women in the T20 series and a 3-1 win in the ODI series.
She plundered 261 runs at an average of 130 in the ODIs to earn the Player of the Series award.
Cameron said Taylor had been an “outstanding representative and ambassador” throughout her career.
“On behalf of the WICB and the various stakeholders in West Indies cricket I want to extend congratulations to Stafanie on winning this major award on the ICC cricketing calendar,” Cameron noted.
“She has been an outstanding representative and ambassador for West Indies from the first time she step foot on the international stage, back in 2008, and she keeps getting better.”
Taylor is currently playing for Sydney Thunder in the inaugural women’s Big Bash League in Australia.
Meanwhile, the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) on behalf of its executive board and members extended congratulations to West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor on being named International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s International T20 Player of the Year.
This award comes at the end of a year where Taylor scored a total of 340 runs in nine matches, the most by any women’s batter in the T20 format of the game. The 24-year-old all-rounder has previously won ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2011 and 2012.
President and CEO of WIPA, Wavell Hinds said of Taylor’s success, “The WIPA family would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Stafanie on the achievement of this prestigious international award.”
He continued, “This award is well deserved; Stafanie has been a consistent performer for the West Indies team. She continues to make the entire cricketing community of the Caribbean proud.” (CMC)