DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford has been nominated for the International Cricket Council (ICC) One Day International Cricketer of the Year award after a standout 2024 for the Men in Maroon.

The Guyanese left-hander made the list after a remarkable year with the bat in which he scored 425 runs in seven innings at an average of 106.25.

Rutherford showed his resilience and skill under pressure and made a strong start to 2024, hitting three consecutive half-centuries against Sri Lanka.

Rutherford’s contributions were exceptional: he amassed 204 runs at a strike rate of 107.36 and was dismissed only once.

The 26-year-old continued his impressive form on home soil, scoring 54 off 36 balls in his only innings against England in Antigua. However, his standout performance came in December during the home series against Bangladesh.

In the opening match in St. Kitts, Rutherford played a sensational innings, scoring 113 off just 80 balls, securing a comfortable chase of 295 and giving his team a 1-0 lead in the series. He followed this with an unbeaten 24 games and a solid 30 games in the remaining games and was instrumental in West Indies’ comfortable 3-0 win in the series.

He is now considered one of the contenders for the ICC Player of the Year award alongside Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Kusal Mendis.

The winner of this prestigious award will be announced in January 2025.