Five players from the champion Aussie side feature in our best XI from a memorable event
Our T20 World Cup team of the tournament
Australia romped to their fifth T20 World Cup title in front of a record crowd at the MCG on Sunday night, thumping India by 85 runs.
With the 2020 women’s tournament now done and dusted, the cricket.com.au editorial team picked the best XI players to make up their team of the tournament.
Unsurprisingly, champions Australia lead the way with five players, including captain of the side Meg Lanning.
Cricket.com.au Team of the Tournament
1) Alyssa Healy (wk) (Australia)
M: 6 | Runs: 236 | SR: 156.29 | Ave: 39.33 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 3 | HS: 83 | Ct: 3 | St: 4
Healy came into the tournament with a serious question mark over her form with the bat, but started on a strong note with a half-century against India.
She bullied the Bangladesh attack to score her second fifty in Canberra, but without doubt her crowning knock of the tournament – and the one that’s seen her edge out India’s Shafali Verma in this side – was her blistering 75 in the final at the MCG, a knock that took the game out of India’s hands.
She also takes the gloves in this side, edging out India’s Taniya Bhatia, who claimed more dismissals across the event but struggled with the bat.
2) Beth Mooney (Australia)
M: 6 | Runs: 259 | SR: 125.12 | Ave: 64.75 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 3 | HS: 81no
Crowned player of the tournament on Sunday night - then elevated to No.1 in the ICC's T20 batting rankings the next day - it should come as no shock that Mooney makes this side.
The left-hander set a new record for most runs in a single tournament, beating Meg Lanning’s previous best from 2014.
Her half-centuries against New Zealand in a must-win game and her 78no in the final were critical to Australia’s success and her reputation as one of the world’s best T20 players continues to grow.
3) Natalie Sciver (England)
M: 4 | Runs: 202 | SR: 113.48 | Ave: 67.33 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 3 | HS: 59no
Following the retirement of Sarah Taylor, England were searching for a new No.3 and they have found an excellent replacement in Sciver.
The 27-year-old enjoyed an outstanding tournament with the bat, striking three fifties, including her 50 against South Africa in the opening game at the WACA Ground, and an unbeaten 59 against Thailand.
Image Id: 1D499D0F1086472F92AD1CA961BB3E28 Image Caption: Natalie Sciver was at her brilliant best this tournament // Getty4) Heather Knight (England)
M: 4 | Runs: 193 | SR: 136.87 | Ave: 64.33 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 1 | HS: 108no
The English captain had a group stage to remember, scoring her first T20 International hundred against Thailand in Canberra alongside the 62 she struck against Pakistan at the same venue.
Knight has found another gear in her T20 game of late, but unfortunately the rain meant she did not have a chance to try and bat her team into another final.
Image Id: 2ABEACD7B8EB4B1ABB0590739BDC007C Image Caption: Knight led from the front for England // Getty5) Meg Lanning (c) (Australia)
M: 6 | Runs: 132 | SR: 99.24 | Ave: 44.00 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 0 | HS: 49no
Australia’s captain clutch is also captain of this side.
Lanning did not have a consistent tournament with the bat, but she stood up in the big moments, notably when her team was 3-10 against Sri Lanka, and in the semi-final with her unbeaten 49 against South Africa in difficult conditions.
Her leadership stood out as she helped turn around her team after a tough start and guide them to the title, while handling the need to change bowling plans through the event after injuries to Tayla Vlaeminck and Ellyse Perry.
6) Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
M: 4 | Runs: 94 | SR: 149.20 | Ave: - | 100s: 0 | 50s: 1 | HS: 53no
The 20-year-old only got the chance to bat twice in the tournament but she made the most of it.
Wolvaardt has embraced her new role as a finisher with aplomb and the work she has been putting into her T20 game across the last couple of years was obvious with her 53 not out against Pakistan and her unbeaten 41 from 27 deliveries against Australia, which fell just short of steering her side into their maiden final.
Image Id: 03256A3E72694A63AAA74FF497ECA905 Image Caption: Wolvaardt's driving was quite simply sublime // Getty7) Jess Jonassen (Australia)
M: 6 | Wkts: 10 | Econ: 6.08 | Ave: 14.00 | SR: 13.8 | BB: 3-20 | 4wi: 0
Left-arm spinner Jonassen proved a bankable option for Australia both in the power play and at the death throughout their successful campaign.
When Lanning needed a breakthrough, she tossed the ball to Jonassen – usually with success.
In the final, she picked up the critical wickets of both Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur to douse India’s hopes of an unlikely chase.
8) Sophie Ecclestone (England)
M: 4 | Wkts: 8 | Econ: 3.23 | Ave: 6.12 | SR: 11.3 | BB: 3-7 | 4wi: 0
Another left-arm spinner, Ecclestone became the youngest player to reach 50 T20I wickets during the tournament while also claiming the ICC No.1 bowling ranking.
The 20-year-old not only picked up eight wickets for the tournament, but she did so while retaining an incredible economy rate of 3.23.
Image Id: 36FD5F0D612A4B0A994DDC30729CA17C Image Caption: Ecclestone showed why she's regarded as one of the brightest prospects in cricket // Getty9) Anya Shrubsole (England)
M: 4 | Wkts: 8 | Econ: 6.07 | Ave: 10.62 | SR: 10.5 | BB: 3-21 | 4wi: 0
Shrubsole enjoyed a standout campaign with the ball for England, the highlight of which was her 3-25 against Pakistan in Canberra.
She has taken more T20 World Cup wickets than any other bowler and edged out New Zealand’s Hayley Jensen for a spot in this side, with Jensen’s excellent death bowling almost snagging her a spot in the side.
Image Id: 6BED16CA34504074A8CB58FBBBDD3EED Image Caption: Proven performer // Getty10) Megan Schutt (Australia)
M: 6 | Wkts: 13 | Econ: 6.33 | Ave: 10.30 | SR: 9.7 | BB: 4-18 | 4wi: 1
Schutt had a tough start to the tournament when Shafali Verma took 16 runs off her first over but after that first match, the South Australian enjoyed an incredible run.
She took 13 wickets across Australia’s next five matches and stood tall to lead the pace attack following the injuries to Perry and Vlaeminck.
Her 2-17 was crucial in the semi-final against South Africa, while she got the last laugh over Verma in the final, dismissing the aggressive teenager with her third delivery.
11) Poonam Yadav (India)
M: 5 | Wkts: 10 | Econ: 5.95 | Ave: 11.90 | SR: 12.0 | BB: 4-19 | 4wi: 1
The diminutive leg-spinner ripped through Australia in the opening game of the tournament as she took 4-19 to give her side a dream start.
She dominated again against Bangladesh, picking up another three wickets, and while teams began to form better plans for her ultra-slow leggies, she still collected a wicket in each match.
2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
February 21:India beat Australia by 17 runs
February 24: Australia beat Sri Lanka by five wickets
February 27: Australia beat Bangladesh by 86 runs
March 2: Australia beat New Zealand by four runs
March 5: Australia beat South Africa by five runs
March 8: Australia beat India by 85 runs
For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE