The 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is just days away from starting. The tournament, hosted in South Africa, will be played at three different venues: St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Boland Park and Newlands Cricket Ground — where the final will be held on the 26th February.
With automatic qualification for hosts South Africa, plus Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies due to ICC rankings, there were two places in the competition remaining. Numerous qualifiers were held and Bangladesh, who did not feature in 2020 and Ireland, who also haven’t featured since 2018, qualified for the 2023 edition.
Here are XI of the players featuring at the tournament that could be stand-out players for their teams.
Charlie Dean — England
After the summer of 2022, Charlie Dean is probably most well known for being the batter, ran out at the non-strikers end by India’s, Deepti Sharma at Lords. Dean will certainly be staying in her crease at this tournament but it’s her bowling that should be highlighted.
The off-spinner only made her international debut in early 2021 but has played 28 matches, taking an outstanding 52 wickets. Despite her good form, Charlie Dean missed out on the Commonwealth Games and only featured in England’s ODIs.
Speaking to Dean before the 2022 summer, she recalled the imposter syndrome she felt on debut for England.
I was definitely struggling with the fact that I felt like I didn’t have any huge performances to sort of back up why I’d made the squad
However, with new head coach, Jon Lewis coming in, Dean was a vital part of England’s bowling plans in their IT20s against the West Indies in December. The Southern Viper took 11 wickets in 4 matches where she was the leading wicket-taker. She was also the leading wicket-taker in the ODIs taking 7 wickets in 3 innings.
The imposter syndrome has started to disappear as she has become one of England’s most impactful players
I was just super excited to be on the pitch to be honest. I got a few messages saying “you always look so happy, you’re smiling so much on the pitch” and I’m like I just can’t believe I’m here to be honest
Lauren Bell — England
One of England’s other young bowlers is Lauren Bell. Nicknamed ‘the shard’, her height sets her bowling apart from other seam bowlers. Making her international debut in all formats during the 2022 summer, Bell has taken well to international cricket taking 18 wickets in 11 matches.
Like Dean, she was not a part of England’s Commonwealth Games squad but came into the T20 side against India. Her tour of the West Indies was a huge success with figures of 4/12, 2/21 and 3/26 in the IT20s.
Shikha Pandey — India
Shikha Pandey was subject to a surprise omission from India’s international sides despite her proclaimed ‘ball of the century’ in October 2021, dismissing Alyssa Healy.
A week after that iconic moment, we sat down with Shikha to discuss it
To be very honest, I wouldn’t say that I bowled it on purpose! I know that I’m an inswinger and I was bowling from these two angles, and so I knew the ball is going to be swinging a lot and because of the first match. Alyssa Healy is a great batter and I have no idea what, how it happened, but I guess that day I just was able to get the swing that I wanted to
Pandey bizarrely hasn’t featured for India since that series against Australia but has consistently performed at regional level for Goa. Whilst she also is a Indian Air Force air traffic control officer, she has been a part of the Indian national cricket set up since her debut in 2014.
With 114 caps and international 119 wickets, Pandey will be one of the more experienced bowlers in India’s line up and she’ll be looking to reinstate herself in the side and continue that childhood dream.
As a kid growing up, I also wanted to be a pilot. My father told me that you can have two or three dreams, that’s OK, and you should be able to keep them. I would say that he was the reason why I could dream playing cricket for India and also to be donning the uniform
Eden Carson — New Zealand
Dunedin born and raised, Eden Carson is one of many young talents coming through the New Zealand pathway. Carson earned her first opportunity for the White Ferns at the inaugural Commonwealth Games where she faced South Africa and Sri Lanka, taking two wickets. The 21-year-old off-spinner has since played a total of 9 games for New Zealand taking 14 wickets.
Over the last few months, Carson has shown her value as part of the Otago Sparks side in the Super Smash.
Heather Graham — Australia
Scoring over 1000 runs and and taking over 100 wickets in her Women’s Big Bash (WBBL) career, Heather Graham finally made her IT20 debut in December 2022. Back in 2019, Graham was given the Aussie call up scoring 5* and taking a wicket, finishing with a low economy of 3.62. Despite this good performance, she was ignored by selectors until Australia’s tour of India at the end of last year.
On debut, the Western Australian took 3/22, followed by 4/8 in the final game. Although she is predominantly a bowler, she batting is one of her strengths, most recently scoring 109 against the ACT Meteors in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL).
After playing for both the Trent Rockets and the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, Graham knows the English players well.
Orla Prendergast — Ireland
Orla Prendergast’s international debut came when she had just turned 17. Since then, the all-rounder has gone from strength to strength, solidifying herself in the team. All this and she is still only 20 years-old!
A career highlight would be Ireland’s historic recent tour of Pakistan. She took 3/10 in the first T20, however, it was her batting that stood out across the tour. Averaging 32.00 with the bat, Prendergast scored 96 runs across 3 innings in their IT20s.
Shorna Akter — Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s Shorna Akter is a very exciting young player. Born in 2007, making her 16-year-old, barely, Akter has been one of the stand out players at the U19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa. Starting her tournament with scores of 78* and 20* against India and South Africa respectively in the warm-up matches, she was ideal form for the competition.
Despite being uncapped for the senior team, her performances at the U19’s tournament may earn her a place in Bangladesh’s XI. Regardless, time is very much on her side and she has many World Cups to come.
Sidra Ameen — Pakistan
Lahore-born, Sidra Ameen, currently holds the joint record for most hundreds in a calendar year in women’s ODIs, scoring 3 centuries in 2022. In Pakistan’s recent series against Ireland, she was the leading run scorer with 287 runs to her name.
Since her debut in 2011, Ameen has scored over 1700 runs in IT20s and ODIs with a high score of 176* in ODIs and 56 in T20s.
Nonkululeko Mlaba — South Africa
Receiving her first central contract ahead of the 2022/23 season, Nonkululeko Mlaba has played for South Africa since 2019. Previously featuring at the 2020 T20 World Cup, the 2022 World Cup and the inaugural Commonwealth Games, this will be Mlaba’s second T20 World Cup.
The left-arm spinner is in ideal form, taking wickets against India and the West Indies in preparation and has the home advantage.
For the Dolphins, in the CSA Women’s Provincial League, Mlaba’s had some stand out performances including 3/13 against the Lions.
Chinelle Henry — West Indies
Jamaican fast bowler, Chinelle Henry has been involved with the West Indies set up for over 10 years. Not only has she taken over 30 wickets but she has amassed almost 600 international runs.
Henry was vital in the series against New Zealand, helping her side to defend lower totals such as 115 in the first T20.
Oshadi Ranasinghe — Sri Lanka
With 12 years of international experience in the bag, 36-year-old Oshadi Ranasinghe will be playing in her third T20 World Cup. Her off-spin has deceived some of the world’s best players such as Harmanpreet Kaur and Shafali Verma and she was one of Sri Lanka’s most valuable players at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Whilst she bowls right-arm, she bats left handed, offering another option for the side.
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