Cape Town, Feb 27 (IANS) In the team of the tournament post the conclusion of the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh is the lone Indian player to make the cut.
Unsurprisingly four players from champion Australia side have made it to the playing eleven, with runners-up South Africa boasting a trio, followed by England and West Indies having two players and one representative. Ireland also have a representative, but as 12th player.
Richa came into the tournament on the back of a victorious Indian campaign ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup last month in South Africa. She was not out in first three matches and amassed 136 runs at an average of 68 and strike rate of 130.76.
Her best score in the tournament came against England with an unbeaten 47, though India lost by 11 runs. Richa led the tournament in dismissals with seven successful chances, including five catches, and two stumpings, proving to be a pivotal player as India reached the semi-finals.
Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, also the Player of the Tournament, is joined by Alyssa Healy, Darcie Brown and Megan Schutt while England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt has been selected as captain of the team of the tournament.
Ashleigh is selected after making 110 runs and taking 10 wickets across the tournament, to sit joint-second in the table. The off-spinner posted the best figures of the tournament, and of any Australian in T20Is, as she took five for 12 in Australia’s opener against New Zealand.
Alyssa, the wicketkeeper-batter, struck 189 runs during Australia’s victorious campaign, at an average of 47.25, and hit two fifties against New Zealand and Sri Lanka respectively. She also took one catch and three stumpings across the tournament.
Darcie took seven wickets across the tournament, ending with an economy of just five as she bowled a tournament-high 78 dot balls. Her more senior partner Megan was not to be outdone, taking 10 wickets at an average of 12.50, taking four for 24 against Sri Lanka.
Nat, the England vice-captain, is named captain of the side after winning player of the match three times having made 216 runs, the second-highest in the tournament. The all-rounder crunched a tournament-high 28 fours and ended with an average of 72.00, the best in the competition, also taking one wicket.
Her teammate, left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, also makes the cut. She was the highest wicket-taker of the competition, claiming 11 scalps. She took at least one wicket in every game, her best figures coming against Ireland where she took three for 13.
From South Africa, Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt and Shabnim Ismail are included. Tazmin smashed back-to-back fifties to guide South Africa to the final, making 186 runs across the tournament. She was named Player of the Match in the semi-final as she hit 68 runs from 55 balls before taking four catches in a star performance.
Laura is in at number three having made the most runs in the tournament with 230, including 61 in the final. She scored 22 fours and a tournament-high five sixes as she passed fifty three times during the World Cup.
Shabnim, the fiery pacer, took eight wickets for the Proteas. She delivered the fastest ball in the tournament during the semi-final, also bowling three maidens, with no other bowler producing more than one.
The only representative from the West Indies, Karishma Ramharack has been selected for her impressive average of just 10.00. The off-spinner took five wickets across three games with her best performance of two for 14 against India in their tournament opener.
Young Ireland star Orla Prendergast has been selected as the 12th player after a breakout World Cup for Ireland, making 109 runs including 61 against the West Indies. With the ball, she also took three wickets and looked impressive in the field as she put in a true all-round performance.
Team of the Tournament for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: Tazmin Brits (South Africa), Alyssa Healy (wk), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Nat Sciver-Brunt (c) (England), Ashleigh Gardner (Australia), Richa Ghosh (India), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Karishma Ramharack, Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Darcie Brown (Australia), Megan Schutt (Australia) and Orla Prendergast (Ireland, 12th player)
–IANS
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