Dubai, Nov 4 – The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 concluded with a star‑packed Team of the Tournament that puts India, South Africa, and Australia front and centre.
India’s top three picks are opener Smriti Mandhana, all‑rounder Deepti Sharma and batter Jemimah Rodrigues. They join South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and all‑rounder Nadine de Klerk, plus three Australians—Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland and Alana King. Two English players, Nat Sciver‑Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone, round out the list, while Pakistan’s wicket‑keeper Sidra Nawaz seals the circle.
The final saw two opening pairs face off: Mandhana and Wolvaardt paired at the top of each team’s line‑up. Together they topped the runs chart, with Wolvaardt scoring 571 runs at an average of 71.37 and finishing as the highest run‑scorer ever in a Women’s World Cup. Her two consecutive centuries in the semi‑final and final electrified South Africa’s campaign.
Mandhana finished the tournament with 434 runs at 54.25, including a century against New Zealand early in the league stage. Rodrigues burst in the group match that sent Australia to the final, scoring a brilliant 127* before the hosts were beaten. Sharma led the bowling attack with 22 wickets, including a lethal spell in the final showdown that helped India brush past Zimbabwe.
South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp shone with both bat and ball, picking up 12 wickets and adding two half‑centuries before and after the semi‑final. Her five‑for‑20 against England made her the most successful bowler in World Cup history. Nadine de Klerk contributed an unbeaten 84 off 54 off to drive the Proteas past India in the group and chipped in with nine wickets overall.
Australia’s bowlers made a splash. Alana King set a new record by taking 7 wickets for 18 runs against South Africa in the league, giving her the best figures in any edition of the tournament. Sutherland finished with 17 wickets, and her unbeaten 98 helped Australia defeat England in the round‑robin stage. Gardner, the middle‑order mainstay, recorded her second century of the tournament and claimed seven wickets, earning a place in the line‑up.
Pakistan’s Sidra Nawaz impressed behind the stumps, completing three catches and four stumpings. She stole show with a spectacular leg‑side catch that dismissed India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and a lightning‑fast dismissal of Kim Garth against Australia.
Sophie Ecclestone, a key bowler for England, took 16 wickets at just 14.25 average, including a four‑wicket haul each against Sri Lanka and South Africa. Nat Sciver‑Brunt added 262 runs and nine wickets, solidifying her spot as captain and a valuable all‑rounder. The panel that chose the XI included commentators Ian Bishop, Mel Jones, Isa Guha, ICC General Manager Gaurav Saxena and journalist Estelle Vasudevan.
ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Team of the Tournament
Smriti Mandhana – Laura Wolvaardt (c) – Jemimah Rodrigues – Marizanne Kapp – Ashleigh Gardner – Deepti Sharma – Annabel Sutherland – Nadine de Klerk – Sidra Nawaz (wk) – Alana King – Sophie Ecclestone – Nat Sciver‑Brunt (12th player)
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Source: ianslive
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