Women's Cricket Team of the Year: From Smriti Mandhana to Sophie Ecclestone | Sport

TThe Spins women's team of the year across all formats has historically been dominated by England and Australia. Fortunately, things look a little different this time around, with Australia's title of perennial world champions finally removed by New Zealand at the T20 World Cup in October.

History was made this year by Scotland, who qualified for and played in their first ever World Cup; by Sri Lanka, who defeated India to secure the country's first Women's Asia Cup title; and by New Zealand, which came out of nowhere win their first T20 World Cup trophy. All in all, it was a year in which the established order in women's cricket was turned upside down. As far as The Spin is concerned, long may the chaos continue.

1 Smriti Mandhana (India)
Her achievements this year included talking out her skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur, during the World Cup when (after Melie Kerr's run-out was disallowed by the umpires) it looked like a full-blown diplomatic incident might ensue. Smriti has also done quite well by the more conventional measure of runs scored, with a record-breaking four ODI centuries in 2024, plus one in a Test. Some have even tipped her to take over as India captain in 2025.

2 Shafali Verma (India)
She may have ended the year by being dropped for India's ODI series against Australia, but at The Spin we have placed a lot of weight on Test performances and we just couldn't leave out someone who scored a Test double century this year. The innings, against South Africa in June, was typical for Verma with eight sixes. It was the fastest double century in women's Test cricket (194 balls).

3 Hayley Matthews (West Indies)
Remains a golden goose of franchise cricket, showing outrageous form in the Hundred for Welsh Fire and helping Melbourne Renegades to a maiden Women's Big Bash League title with 69 runs at two for 24 in the December final. After years of despair, she finally had something to celebrate in her capacity as West Indies captain as they did the unthinkable and knocked out England to advance to their first World Cup semi-final in six years.

4 Tammy Beaumont (England, wkt)
She hasn't quite managed to fight her way back into the England T20 team this year, but so what? In her own words: I don't have to keep proving myself, I just have to keep playing and enjoying it. In September against Ireland, she added a record 10th ODI hundred to her total, overtaking Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards (who have nine each). Note: She is also the team's wicketkeeper (if you think this is cheating, well, we make our own rules here at The Spin).

5 Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa, captain)
When Wolvaardt took over as South Africa captain a year ago, The Spin was concerned she would struggle to combine the new role with her position as the team's best hitter. How ridiculous those fears now seem for a player who averaged 87 in ODIs in 2024, scored a maiden Test hundred against India and finished as the leading run-scorer in October's T20 World Cup. We have never been so happy with that she chose cricket over medicine all those years ago.

6 Melie Kerr (New Zealand)
It may seem strange that the World Cup winning team has only one player in our team of the year, but New Zealand was truly a team effort, with only one standout performance from Kerr in the final. After top-scoring with 43 off 38 balls, she could barely walk due to cramps caused by the Dubai heat, but somehow also managed to take three wickets, including the crucial one of Wolvaardt. A heroic performance that (in addition to 15 wickets in six matches) rightly made her player of the tournament.

7 Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
Scored more runs than anyone else in T20Is in 2024 720 with a strike rate of 127. That included a century against Malaysia and a half-century against India in the Asia Cup, when Sri Lanka handed defeat to reigning champions India, sparking raucous celebrations from the home crowd. Unfortunately, hopes that Athapaththu could also inspire Sri Lanka to World Cup success were unfounded, but as long as she remains at the helm, there is a sense that they have a chance to compete at the top in 2025 and beyond.