International stars primed for T20 World Cup after dominant WPL campaigns

By Jonathan Healy

A host of international stars from all around the world were in good touch during the recent Women's Premier League (WPL) and look certain to feature prominently during this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

This year's Women's T20 World Cup will be the ninth edition of the 20-over showcase, with Bangladesh hosting the event - scheduled to take place in September and October - for just the second time.

Many of the players expected to feature at the Women's T20 World Cup were among the leading run-scorers and wicket-takers during the WPL and will be hoping to maintain their form during the major ICC tournament later this year.

It was no surprise to see experienced all-rounder Ellyse Perry finish the tournament with more runs (347 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore) than any other player and a handful of her Australian teammates also featured prominently here.

Ever-reliable top-order batter Beth Mooney compiled 285 runs for Gujarat Giants to finish as the sixth leading run-scorer, while hard-hitter Grace Harris (188 runs for UP Warriorz) and Australia skipper Alyssa Healy (175 runs for UP Warriorz) also featured prominently in this category.

India will be searching for a first Women's T20 World Cup title in Bangladesh and will be buoyed by the form of a host of their batters that includes Shafali Verma (309 runs for Delhi Capitals), Smriti Mandhana (300 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore), Deepti Sharma (295 runs for UP Warriorz), Harmanpreet Kaur (268 runs for Mumbai Indians), Richa Ghosh (257 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Jemimah Rodrigues (235 runs for Delhi Capitals).

The half-dozen all finished within the top 10 for leading run-scorers, with Shafali impressing most with the third highest run tally in total and 10 more sixes than any other player at the tournament having cleared the rope on 20 occasions.

Mandhana and Ghosh were next best in his category with a total of 10 sixes apiece, while Deepti's role as a closer could come in handy in Bangladesh noting she was dismissed just three times at the WPL and managed five not outs among her 295 runs at an average of 98.33.

England youngster Alice Capsey snuck inside the top 10 for runs during the WPL with a total of 230 runs for the Delhi Capitals, while New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr (215), West Indies star Hayley Matthews (180), England's Nat Sciver-Brunt (172), South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt (167) and Kiwi veteran Sophie Devine (136) also posted good numbers with the bat at the tournament.

Just three scalps separated the top 10 leading wicket-takers during the WPL, with young off-spinner Shreyanka Patil narrowly finishing at the top of this star-studded list following her four-wicket haul in the final for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Shreyanka is likely to come into consideration for a place in India's squad at this year's T20 World Cup if she can continue her recent upward curve, while fellow spinners Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma each collected 10 scalps at the WPL and may prove her closest rivals for a spot on the plane to Bangladesh.

Spin played a prominent role during the entirety of the WPL and is expected to do similar at this year's T20 World Cup despite the fact that the three leading wicket-takers the only other time Bangladesh has hosted the Women's T20 World Cup were actually seamers.

South Africa pace spearhead Marizanne Kapp (11 scalps) and England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt (10) were the only seamers to finish inside the top 10 for wicket-takers at the WPL, while Australia pacer Ellyse Perry was one of only two players to collect a five-wicket haul at the tournament when she claimed superb figures of 6/15 against the Mumbai Indians.

Interestingly both Sophie Molineux (12 wickets for Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Jess Jonassen (11 scalps for Delhi Capitals) finished among the leading wicket-takers at the WPL and it will be interesting to see if Australia elect to take both left-arm spinners to Bangladesh or opt for just one.

Not one bowler managed to concede less than six runs per over during the WPL, although a pair of England players went close in what looks to be a good sign for the inaugural champions in 2009 ahead of this year's T20 World Cup.

Teenager Alice Capsey only bowled eight overs at the tournament for the Delhi Capitals, but allowed a tournament best 6.12 runs per over while picking up four valuable wickets with her more than handy off-spin.

Fellow spinner and the world's No.1 ranked T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone was almost just as frugal for the UP Warriorz, with the left-armer allowing 6.57 runs per over and collecting a total of 11 wickets during the tournament.

Sri Lanka veteran Chamari Athapaththu and Australia all-rounder Grace Harris also featured prominently within the top 10 for best economy rates at the WPL and the pair could prove good options with the ball during the T20 World Cup.