Sciver is the Vitality Women’s IT20 Player of the Summer

Nat Sciver has won the 2021 Vitality Women’s IT20 Player of the Summer award, having led from the front with both bat and ball throughout her side’s 20-over schedule this season.

The all-rounder played a key role in 2-1 series victories against both India and New Zealand, finishing top of the PCA England Women IT20 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rankings with 74.2 points – almost 15 points clear of second placed Danni Wyatt.

During those two series, Sciver scored 116 runs at a strike rate of 126 and took five top-order wickets for 26.3 runs each to illustrate exactly why she is considered one of the best all-rounders in the world in the shortest format.

She took four catches in IT20s this summer, and also effected a run out during the first IT20 against New Zealand to earn eight total MVP points for fielding, adding an additional victory point for leading England to a 46-run win during the same fixture at Chelmsford on 1 September in Heather Knight’s absence.

Sciver was also named MVP of the Match – awarded to the player who scores the most MVP points during any given fixture – following the first IT20 against India on 9 July when she made 55 from just 27 balls and took 1-16 to set up an 18-run victory.

The 29-year-old will now be looking forward to the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand which rounds off the international summer. She currently sits top of the Overall MVP with 135 points and will be looking to make it two cross-format awards in succession having also finished top of the pile following England’s 2020/21 schedule.

The Vitality Women’s IT20 Player of the Summer has been selected by the PCA MVP Rankings, the England vice-captain topping the table which has been produced by a new statistical algorithm for 2021.

The formula enables players to score or lose MVP points on every ball based on their expected performance for that ball in comparison to CricViz’s extensive historical database of 20-over fixtures, with the venue being played at also taken into account.

Sciver is the third winner of a cinch PCA Award this season and joins Scott Borthwick (Royal London Cup Player of the Year) and Eve Jones (Charlotte Edwards Cup Player of the Year) in having picked up a prize.

Vitality Women’s IT20 Player of the Summer, Nat Sciver, said: “It’s been a brilliant summer of T20 cricket, and it’s important to improve the way we want to play, so it’s been a great season on that front.

“Looking back, the highlight was my 55 from 27 balls against India, and my bowling was going well in that series so I was pretty happy with that too. It’s a format that I like, it doesn’t always go for you but that’s just something you’ve got to accept.

“I’m being used in the powerplay a lot more now, so I enjoy having that string to my bow and the ability to bowl in all parts of the game.”

Sciver received her trophy after England’s four-wicket victory on Thursday, with awards taking place virtually in 2021 in the absence of an in-person event. International awards are being announced after the final ball of the international schedule in each format across both men’s and women’s cricket.

Tuesday 28 September will see the finale of the cinch PCA Awards with the four headline awards being announced live on Sky Sports during lunch on the opening day of the Bob Willis Trophy final.

For the first time at the PCA Awards, there will be a Young Women’s Player of the Year. Following the introduction of 41 domestic professional female players and the creation of the women’s elite domestic structure, players will have the opportunity to vote for a breakthrough star of 2021.

With cinch sponsoring the four player-selected awards, the Men’s, Women’s, Men’s Young and Women’s Young Player of the Year awards will all be revealed in a blockbuster presentation of the best performers in English cricket in 2021.

Find out more about the PCA MVP Rankings and view the international men’s and women’s tables.