Women's 20-20 World Cup 2023: Five Player of the Tournament contenders

The Women’s 20-20 World Cup is set to start on Friday, February 10 in South Africa. Ten teams will battle it out to get their hands on the trophy. Australia are the defending champions. India will open their campaign against their arch-rivals Pakistan on February 12.

However, every team will need big individual performances if they want to come out on top. Here we will take a look at five players who are potential contenders to become the Player of the Tournament.

1. Ashleigh Gardner

Ashleigh Gardner (Source - Twitter)

Australian player and no.1 ranked T20I all-rounder in the world, Ashleigh Gardner has performed really well in both bowling and batting departments. She made her T20I debut in February 2017 against New Zealand. She reached to no.1 spot for the first time in December 2022 after scoring 115 runs and bagging seven wickets in Australia’s series against India.

A two-time 20-20 World Cup winner with Australia, Gardner’s powerful batting and crafty off-spin has made her a key member across all formats. It’d be interesting to watch her play in the upcoming World Cup as she could be one of the contenders for Player of the tournament.

2. Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana (Source - Twitter)

India’s opening batter and no.3 ranked T20I batter in the world, Smriti Mandhana is the new leader with the bat that India needed after legendary captain Mithali Raj retired from International cricket. India would be wanting her services in order to win the 20-20 World Cup 2023.

Mandhana has played 112 T20I matches so far and scored 2651 runs at an average of 27.32. Besides, she has smashed 20 half-centuries. She played a key role when India handed Australia their only defeat of 2022. Mandhana scored 79 runs and 13 in the super over and was named the Player of The Match.

3. Sophie Ecclestone

Sophie Ecclestone (Source - Twitter)

England’s one of the best bowlers, Sophie Ecclestone is a veteran of over 65 T20I appearances. She made her debut as a 17-year-old and grew up to become one of the finest bowlers in the game.

She picked up 86 wickets in the 65 matches she played in T20Is at a brilliant economy of 5.90. Ecclestone is a frequent wicket-taker and bowls at a great economy rate. She also has the ability to play some handy knocks with the bat. She could be a crucial threat to other teams in the World Cup.

4. Sophie Devine

Sophie Devine (Source - Twitter)

New Zealand captain and star all-rounder Sophie Devine is one of the most versatile sportspersons in the world. She has a big hand in establishing the Kiwis as one of the best sides in Women’s cricket.

Devine scored 2950 runs and picked up 110 wickets in the 115 matches she appeared for New Zealand. She has smashed a hundred in the shortest format. It will be interesting to see if she can be the Player of the Tournament in this World Cup.

5. Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma (Source - Twitter)

Deepti Sharma is very impeccable with her lines and lengths when she bowls and stems the flow of runs as well. She is also a valuable contributor with the bat and can play crucial knocks for the Women in Blue.

The 25-year-old featured in 87 T20I matches and scalped 96 wickets at an economy of 6.08. As for her batting numbers, she has scored 914 runs. Her ability to provide timely breakthroughs can be very useful for the team.