The Women Cricket World Cup is the international championship in women cricket organized by the International Cricket Council and commenced in 1973 and is conducted after every four years. Targets the best teams from across the world that participates in the championship event. As per trending cricket news, the performances shown in the tournament the development of women’s cricket has been boosted and taken to new levels of viewership. This blog brings a list of great female cricket players who have played world cup cricket in the past. These players have created records in batting, bowling, and fielding, and they come up with match-winning performances in the last overs in one-day as well as T20 international, making them world-class players in women’s cricket.
Belinda Clark (Australia)
Undoubtedly, Belinda Clark can be considered one of the most successful female cricket players of all the periods. The aggressive Australian started her World Cup in 1988 when she was a teenager and she featured in five World Cup events. The highlight of Clark’s career was in the 1997 ICC World cup tournament that was staged in India.
She scored an unbeaten 229 against Denmark, which is still the highest individual score in Women’s World Cup till date. Clark performed exceedingly well all through the tournament and remained the highest run scorer while the champions are Australia. She managed to score 91 in the final match with New Zealand and she was awarded the Player of the Match.
Karen Smithies (England)
Karen Smithies, an Englishwoman, also deserves to be on this list for her incredible travels at the first two Women’s World Cup. Smithies was a courageous all-rounder who bowled slow left-arm orthodox and was an aggressive middle order batsman, who won the World Cup for England in 1973.
In the first event, she scored 111 against Young England and 112 against Trinidad & Tobago while scoring an average of 92 with the bat. In the final she completed a Player of the Tournament display by taking five wickets in an Australian destruction.
Rachel Heyhoe-Flint (England)
Rachel Heyhoe-Flint becomes part of this list not because of how she handled the ball or the willow but the enormous impact she had as a trailblazer. The former national captain is regarded international as the woman who brought women’s cricket into the world map.
Rachel participated in the first three editions of the World Cup; she led England to two consecutive triumphs in 1973 and 1977. An aggressive middle-order batswoman, who could also roll her arm over as a wrist spinner, her major contribution was being a captain.
Shantha Rangaswamy (India)
A great example of the all-rounder in action during her playing days was the former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy. A right-handed top order orthodox batter who could also roll her arm over to bowl medium pace, Shantha was a part of the initial two Women’s World Cups.
Shantha, a teenager during the first Women’s World Cup in 1973, became the first recipient of the Player of the Match award. Her 43 helped in setting up the famous two-wicket win over New Zealand in India at Edgbaston.
Lisa Sthalekar (Australia)
The teams and Australian Lisa Sthalekar are acknowledged among the finest all-rounders in the women’s cricket. A left-arm orthodox bowler with considerable guile, she could also provide a big hitter lower down the order. Playing for the Australian national team since 2004, Lisa could participate in four consecutive World Cups; she was not a kind of a player to give up easily.
Although the numbers may not set the world on fire, Sthalekar’s capability to come good under pressure with the bat or the ball was invaluable for Australia. She had the ability to take out the best scalps anytime the Australians strived to take the ascendancy. In the meanwhile however, the bat was a joy as she loved to play those risky shots to upset the bowler and get those running between the wickets.
Debbie Hockley (New Zealand)
New Zealand’s middle-order elegant batswoman and a good medium bowler Debbie Hockley was a main stay of the New Zealand team from late eighties to early nineties. For four World Cups beginning with 1982, Debbie was able to position her team most effectively with her technical control. She scored many match-winning innings including two consecutive finals for New Zealand.
In the 1987 World Cup, Hockley scored a three successive fifty and fifty plus sixty four in the final. However, her side was agonisingly close to victory against England at the Eden Park. Four years later in 1991, Debbie came up with another remarkable performance: she scored an unbeaten 72 against holders England and made her team triumph. Their first World Cup triumph caused massive celebrations throughout the country and Hockley’s determination made her the Woman of the Match.
Neetu David (India)
India has been good at churning out some great batters, but they have always struggled to create good fast bowling talents. But the great left-arm spinner Neetu David emerged in the late 90s and early this millennium as one of the best spinners creating openings with her intelligence, variations and spin.
From North India, David used helpful conditions well excellently in her first World Cup in 1997. To add insult to injury, David took 20 wickets and wrecked batting orders single handedly. This included 6 wickets against Denmark the 4 wickets against England and the best bowling performance of 5 for 27 against New Zealand.
Cathy Atkins (Australia)
While the spotlight was always on batting charm like Belinda Clark or the modern-day Aussie powerhouses Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry, there was a consistent Australian medium pacer named Cathy Atkins who worked like a silent destroyer. Safeguarding the line, length and her movement, Cathy gave strike bowlers a chance to operate from the other end.
Atkins first competed in the World Cup in 1982 and remained a regular through the end of the 90s. During the 1997 tournament which was won by Australia, her bowling performances of 14 wickets 13. 42 was an essential component of team success. She claimed a best of four wins against Denmark and played a solid defense against all the competitors.
Conclusion
The ICC Women’s World Cup has been instrumental in developing women’s cricket over the past 50 years. It has showcased talented players from Rachel Heyhoe-Flint to current stars like Alyssa Healy and Laura Wolvaardt, inspiring fans worldwide. While women’s cricket related news has evolved from amateur to professional status, challenges like pay disparities and limited broadcasting persist. However, growing T20 leagues and increased viewership are bringing women’s cricket closer to parity with men’s. The World Cup continues to elevate emerging teams and strengthen traditional powers.
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