Gardner named in ICC Team of the Year, steers Australia to series lead against Pakistan

Callan Morse Published January 25, 2023 at 8.10am (AWST)

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Ash Gardner in action against Pakistan in the opening match of the three match T20 international series against Pakistan. Image: Matt King/Getty Images

Recent media attention surrounding Ash Gardner's perspective about playing international cricket on 26 January didn't affect her performance in the opening match of Australia's T20 international series, with the Muruwari star delivering a quick fire 30 to guide Australia to a comfortable eight wicket victory.

Gardner's 30 not out came from just 19 balls, a performance coinciding with her selection in the ICC Women's T20 International Team of the Year for 2022.

After arriving at the crease with the score at 2-55 following the losses of captain Meg Lanning (14) and Tahlia McGrath (14), Gardner partnered with fellow allrounder Ellyse Perry (57* from 40) in an unbeaten 64-run third wicket stand.

She began her innings in somewhat steady fashion however didn't take long to begin punishing the Pakistani attack, taking 14 from the left arm orthodox of Sadia Iqbal's to bring the target score of 119 well within reach.

She ended her innings striking at a damaging 157.89 having struck three boundaries and a six.

Gardner bowled a single over (0-7) in the first innings of the match, with the Pakistani batters bamboozled by the swing bowling of South Australian and Adelaide Strikers bowler Megan Schutt (5-15), whose performance earned her Player of the Match honours.

Following the match, Gardner was one of three Australians named in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Women's T20 International Team of the Year, following her stellar run of form throughout the 2022 calendar year.

Rising to the top of the Women's T20I all-rounder rankings in December and receiving the ICC Women's Player of the Month award in the same month, Gardner's form in her 16 T20 International appearances in 2022 was by far the best of her career to date.

At the crease she scored 216 runs at an impeccable average of 72.00 (high score 66*), striking at 152.11, whilst also taking 15 wickets with the ball at an average of 17.06 (economy rate 5.56), with a best bowling of 3-16.

Gardner will line up for Australia in their second match of the T20 International series against Pakistan at Hobart's Blundstone Arena tomorrow.

ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year:

1 Smriti Mandhana (Ind)

2 Beth Mooney (Aus)

3 Sophie Devine (c) (NZ)

4 Ash Gardner (Aus)

5 Tahlia McGrath (Aus)

6 Nida Dar (Pak)

7 Deepti Sharma (Ind)

8 Richa Ghosh (wk) (Ind)

9 Sophie Ecclestone (Eng)

10 Inoka Ranaweera (SL)