Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Top 10 biggest match-winners

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup has a plethora of superstars on show in almost every competing team. This selection of match-winners will play a crucial role if they want to take their respective teams to the latter stages of the showpiece tournament in England. 

Some teams have more than one player whom they can rely upon to take them to victory, while others have one big star around whom the others perform, like Hayley Matthews in the West Indies. Meanwhile, a team like Australia has star players up and down the order, making them a lot more complete an outfit than some of the other sides. 

Here are the 10 biggest match-winners on offer at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup:

10. Suzie Bates – New Zealand

Entering the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as her final tournament in international cricket, Suzie Bates will want to end her career with New Zealand by helping them get close to defending their title. The right-handed batter was the White Ferns’ joint-highest run-scorer in the tournament, along with Georgia Plimmer, having hit 150 runs. Despite her amazing track record, Bates is coming into the tournament with patchy form, but star players like her raise their game on the grand stage.

9. Fatima Sana – Pakistan 

Fatima Sana comes into the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as the youngest captain in the tournament. The all-rounder, therefore, will have the added pressure of not only leading her side but also being one of their most reliable players. Sana has a T20I strike rate of 139.64 and a bowling economy of 7.53, making her a crucial member of the Pakistan side looking to win their maiden ICC title.

8. Chamari Athapaththu – Sri Lanka

A legend in the women’s game, captain Chamari Athapaththu is Sri Lanka’s best player at the Women’s T20 World Cup. The 36-year-old comes into the tournament on the back of some great form with the bat, having hit 94 against Pakistan in a warm-up game in Derby. She also has excellent command of her bowling, conceding at just 5.50 in the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh.

7. Nat Sciver-Brunt – England 

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt comes into the tournament having recovered from a calf injury. The 33-year-old is expected to play as a batter and might bowl towards the end of the competition. Despite her recent setback, the right-hander scored a half-century in the most recent warm-up against India in Cardiff. Sciver-Brunt will be hoping to join an incredibly select group of England captains to win a major ICC event on home soil, which currently comprises head coach Charlotte Edwards and Heather Knight.

6. Lauren Bell – England

Ahead of this summer’s T20 World Cup, Lauren Bell has established herself as England’s main bowler with excellent wicket-taking ability in the powerplay. The right-arm pace bowler has taken 13 wickets in the last T20I matches for the Lionesses. This includes taking seven scalps against India in the recently concluded three-match series.

5. Phoebe Litchfield – Australia

Phoebe Litchfield has an excellent T20 record in England. She represented the Northern Superchargers (now Sunrisers Leeds) in The Hundred last year, where she scored 292 runs to help her side to the title, which also saw her win Player of the Tournament. Her international T20 strike rate is 138.50, making her a vital member at the top of the order in Australia’s star-studded squad.  

4. Melie Kerr – New Zealand

New Zealand captain Melie Kerr was declared Player of the Tournament during the White Ferns’ title-winning campaign during the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, thanks to her all-round contribution of 135 runs and 15 wickets, the most in the tournament. She has also hit two consecutive half-centuries in warm-up matches, making her the Kiwis’ most important match-winner.

3. Smriti Mandhana – India

Indian opener Smriti Mandhana will have a lot of hopes riding on her shoulders during the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. The left-handed batter has a decent record in England, scoring 650 runs at a strike rate of 139.48. She has not had the best of times with the bat in recent months but will still be her side’s match-winner should the Women in Blue want to win their maiden 20-over title.

2. Hayley Matthews – West Indies

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is her side’s talisman, around whom their fortunes revolve. Matthews scored 123 runs at an average of 61.50 during the recent tri-series in Ireland, helping the Caribbean outfit take home the trophy. The 28-year-old is also a sound bowler, with 120 T20I wickets to her name, the second-most for her national team. A match-winner with both bat and ball, Matthews is in line to be up there in conversation for Player of the Tournament come the end of the World Cup.

1. Laura Wolvaardt – South Africa

Laura Wolvaardt is coming into the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as the best batter in the women’s game. The South Africa captain was the leading run-getter in a five-match series against India earlier this year, scoring 330 runs at a strike-rate of 168.36, whilst averaging 82.50. This includes a century (115 off 53 balls) and a score in the 90s to take the Proteas to a 4-1 series win. Wolvaardt is a match-winner in every sense, and if she has a good tournament, expect the African outfit to challenge for the trophy.