Coming from a cricketers' family, the sport is in her DNA but it was New Zealand's loss in T20 World Cup final in 2010 against Australia that made Amelia Kerr want to be a White Fern and win an ICC trophy for her country.

Fourteen years later, she realised her goal of winning an ICC trophy by lifting the women's T20 World Cup in 2024. She also became the first New Zealander to win the ICC Women's Player of the Year award for her splendid show in 2024.

"I was about 11 or 12 when our Tawa college boys team won a tournament in Wellington and I was the captain and the only girl of the team. That was pretty special and then I used to watch White Ferns play on TV," Kerr told a select media in an interaction felicitated by the ICC. "We lost the T20 WC final in 2010 and from that moment I wanted to become a White Fern and change as much as I can and try to achieve that," said Kerr, who was also chosen the ICC T20 Women Cricketer of the Year 2024.

In the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup final against South Africa, her 43 off 38 and 3/24 played a big role in her side's maiden triumph and she was the Player of the Match in the finals.

"It is a very special feeling. As players we don't think about awards too much...but if I look back and reflect, the T20 WC win comes to mind, it was too special," said the 24-year-old who picked 15 wickets in the T20 World Cup -- the most by any bowler in a single edition of the tournament.

Coming from a family of sportspersons, Kerr started playing at a young age. She feels that playing cricket with boys has helped her immensely.

"As a kid I just loved playing any sport, not just cricket. I wanted to be the best. I played boys' cricket and that really helped me improve my game," said the leg-spin all-rounder who scored 387 runs and took 29 wickets in 18 T20 matches in 2024.

Asked how she manages to remain calm in tense situations, she gave the credit to her upbringing.

"I have been like that since I was young. I think a lot of that comes from my family and the messaging we had growing up. My dad said to me once that if I turn to the ground and walking off the field from that day I don't want to know from your reaction if you got a hundred or a golden duck," she said.

Born to former Welington players Robbie and Jo, Kerr's cricketing pedigree goes as far back as her maternal grandfather, Bruce Murray, the former New Zealand Test batter. Her elder sister Jess, who plays for Wellington, was named in New Zealand's national cricket squad against South Africa in 2020.

"My role models are within my family and they are very liberal. Cricket is such a fickle game and there would be ups and downs, you have to take the good with the bad. It is so much more than the individual game." She hopes that the ICC award and the World Cup inspire youngsters in her small country to look at cricket as a career option.

Asked if she tweaked anything in her game, she replied in negative.

"For me, nothing has changed in my game or the process. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don't. I have worked on a few things in my bowling," she said.

"I want to keep improving. The accuracy in my bowing is potentially developing. I am having more confidence in my bowling to mix up pace as well. In batting, I am looking to improve power and find different ways to score boundaries." A strong advocate of players' mental health well-being, Kerr feels the players should know that they are human beings first.

"It is so important to look after yourself. You never know what's happening in someone's life. It's important to be patient and kind, to know that we are human beings first," said the stalwart who took a seven-month break from the game in 2021.

She, however, does not feel that taking a break from the game is a solution for everyone as things differ from person to person.

"Everyone's story is different. Mine was not related to cricket as cricket is my safe space. We are playing sports and bad phases are part and parcel of the game. Learning to deal with them is important from the sports psycology's point of view.

"Some people might need to keep playing because it makes them happy but if it is otherwise, one must take a step back, but it depends on person to person,"

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