Top 5 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 stars who deserved WPL contract

Darcie Brown and Laura Wolvaardt. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 was wrapped up on February 26. The T20 extravaganza lived up to its billing as fans witnessed a few humdingers of a game. After over a fortnight of some exhilarating cricket, Australia stood victorious and clinched their sixth T20 world title and completed a hat-trick of World Cup wins.

There were many top-drawer players who left the cricket fraternity in awe with their showings in the T20 carnival. While many of these cricketers will again have the opportunity to show their class in the Women’s Premier League 2023, some of them will not have a chance to feature in the tournament. They went unsold at the WPL 2023 auction and thus, would not appear in the inaugural season.

Here are the top 5 T20 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 stars who deserved a WPL contract

5. Darcie Brown

Darcie Brown is one of the exciting prospects in Australia’s cricketing circles. She has clocked speeds of over 125 kmph on a consistent basis and rattled with her whizzing pace. The 19-year-old has featured in 12 matches in the 50-over format and bagged 20 wickets at an economy 4.87.

When it comes to the shortest format, Brown has played 21 matches and taken 20 scalps at an economy of 5.98. The express pacer’s inclusion adds another dimension to the pace attack and makes the bowling unit more rounded. But no WPL franchise was interested in signing her at the recently culminated auction.

However, Brown showed her bowling might T2in the 0 World Cup 2023. She featured in six games and bagged seven wickets, that too at an exceptional economy of 5.00. The ace pacer was simply sensational in the semi-final clash against India and registered stellar figures of 4-0-18-2. Darcie’s performance in the T20 carnival depicted why she deserved a WPL contract.

4. Ayabonga Khaka

Ayabonga Khaka has been a proven performer for South Africa across formats. She has featured in 87 matches in the 50-over format and bagged 113 wickets at an economy of 4.14. Talking about the T20Is, the ace pacer has picked up 47 wickets in 50 games at an economy of 6.29.

Khaka was quite magnificent in the T20 extravaganza in South Africa. The right-arm pacer made five appearances in the high-profile competition and picked up seven wickets at an excellent economy of 5.63.

Khaka brought her A-game into play in the high-voltage encounter against England in the semi-final. She bowled a brilliant 18th over where she took three scalps while giving away just three runs and turned the game in favour of her side. Ayabonga finished the game with stellar figures of 4-0-29-4.

The South African pacer certainly would have been an asset to any side and therefore, it was unfortunate that a player of Khaka’s caliber was unsold at the auction and will not play in WPL 2023.

3. Tazmin Brits

Tazmin Brits is one of the dependable opening batters in South Africa’s cricketing circles. She has taken the attack and provided her side with brisk starts. The 32-year-old has featured in 36 T20Is and scored 793 runs at an economy of 100.76. In the 50-over format, she has scored 229 runs in 12 outings.

Brits was in pristine touch in the T20 World Cup 2023. In the must-win game against Bangladesh, she played a well-complied knock of 50* runs off 51 balls to take her team across the line. Again when South Africa clashed against England in the semi-final, the ace batter put up a show with the bat and smashed 68 runs off 55 balls to help Sune Luus & Co. post a competitive total on the board.

Brits ended the T20 extravaganza, with 186 runs to her name in six games at a strike rate of 103.91. She is in top form and has the potential to set the first season of the Women’s Premier League ablaze with her batting displays. However, the Klerksdorp-born found no bidders at the WPL 2023 auction and therefore, would not feature in the marquee tournament.

2. Lea Tahahu

Lea Tahahu has been a bankable name in the international arena. Tahuhu has featured in 84 ODIs and bagged 94 wickets at an economy of 4.48. Coming to the shortest format, the 32-year-old has picked up 72 scalps in 75 games at an economy of 5.98.

Tahahu has been a match-winner with the ball for New Zealand and quite brilliant in the recently culminated T20 World Cup 2023. She troubled batters with her swing and wreaked havoc with the ball. The ace pacer bagged eight wickets in four matches at an economy of 6.33.

Tahahu breathed fire in the 17th match of the T20 carnival against Bangladesh and finished the game with impeccable figures of 4-1-12-2. She is a match-winner with the ball and could have wreaked havoc in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League. It was a surprise when no franchise was interested in adding the right-arm pacer to their arsenal at the WPL 2023 auction.

1. Laura Wolvaardt

Laura Wolvaardt has been a bankable name in the international arena. The 23-year-old has featured in 80 ODIs and scored 3193 runs at an average of 45.61. Talking about the shortest format, she has scored 1079 runs in 53 matches at a strike rate of 109.10.

In the recently culminated T20 World Cup 2023, Wolvaardt left the world in awe with her glorious stroke play and piled on runs for fun. She featured in six matches and amassed 230 runs at an average of 46.00, which included three half-centuries.

Wolvaardt’s batting exploits were instrumental in South Africa reaching the finals of the T20 carnival. She is a run-bank with the bat and could have taken WPL 2023 by storm with her showings. However, the ace batter did not find any bidders at the auction and will not appear in the upcoming marquee tournament.