ICC Women's Cricket World Cup: Best XI of the tournament
Australia reigned supreme in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022, winning the coveted trophy for a seventh time. Meg Lanning and Co. defeated defending champions England by 71 runs at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday (April 3) to attain glory.
It was as dominant a performance as could have come from the Aussies, having not dropped a single game all tournament. With seven wins from as many games in the Round Robin stage, comprehensive victories in the semi-final and final asserted their dominance en route to claiming the World Cup.
ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 - best XI
The tourmanent began in dramatic fashion as West Indies upset hosts New Zealand by three runs. If anything, that set the tone for the rest of the month, with a number of edge-of-the-seat thrillers becoming the norm.
In what was expected to be the most closely contested Women's Cricket World Cup ever, the competition duly lived up to its billing. Quashing any qualms or skepticism, the tournament proved to be the finest advertisement that the women's game deserved.
On that note, let us dive into the best XI of the competition.
Openers - Rachael Haynes and Alyssa Healy (wk)
Not surprising, is it? In a tournament where the bowlers had the majority of the say, Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes set up many a contest for the Australians. Topping the charts with 509 and 497 runs, respectively, the duo piled on the runs in their own unique styles.
Healy was the aggressor between the two while the left-handed Haynes offered the ideal foil to the dashing wicket-keeper batter. Together, they ensured that a solid middle order didn't have much to worry about, paving the way for Australia's coronation in the knockouts as well.
Healy, who was also adjudged the Player of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022, struck 129 in the semi-final against West Indies and a breathtaking 170 in the final against England.
Middle-order - Laura Wolvaardt, Meg Lanning (c) and Harmanpreet Kaur
Other than to ensure that the Haynes-Healy combination remains intact, Laura Wolvaardt would have surely opened the batting in this XI. The South African was head and shoulders ahead of the rest of her batting colleagues and was a pivotal force behind the Proteas managing to get past a number of edgy moments with the bat.
Wolvaardt finished with 433 runs at an average of 54.12 and takes the No. 3 spot in this XI. Following her is the duo of Australia's Meg Lanning and India's Harmanpreet Kaur.
With 394 runs at an average of 56.28, Australia's skipper Lanning restated her reputation as one of the finest batters the game has ever seen. Two clinical displays - 97 against India and then a stunning unbeaten 135 against South Africa - brought to the fore her colossal ability to calculate run-chases.
Oh, there's the small matter of Lanning captaining this side as well. Any arguments there? Of course not!
Indian vice-captain Kaur just seems to have a thing for the big stage - a blistering ton against West Indies and a number of pivotal contributions on either side saw her finish with 318 runs at an average of 53. Sadly for her and India, it wasn't enough to take her team through to the knockouts of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022.
All-rounders - Nat Sciver and Marizanne Kapp
England's Nat Sciver and South Africa's Marizanne Kapp don the roles of the side's lead all-rounders.
Sciver displayed not one, but two innings of sheer mastery against Australia, with both her tons coming in mammoth run-chases. While the result didn't go in favor of her team, her 436 runs and the sheer ease with which she toyed with pacers and spinners alike stood tall in England's campaign.
With the ball, Sciver accounted for all of four wickets but is as good a sixth bowler as they come in any side. With England's frontline bowlers doing the majority of the damage in any case, Sciver didn't need to do much with the ball herself.
As far as Marizanne Kapp is concerned, it wouldn't have come as a surprise had she been crowned Player of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022. With 12 wickets, including a fifer while bowling predominantly in the extreme phases of the innings, and 203 runs while finishing many a tense contest for her side, Kapp's calming influence under pressure couldn't be summed up any better!
Bowlers - Sophie Ecclestone, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka and Alana King
After a slow start to the competition, Sophie Ecclestone's guile and skill came to the fore to great effect. In a display of crafty spin-bowling of the highest order, the No. 1 ranked ODI and T20I bowler scalped 21 wickets to top the charts by a distance. Ecclestone played a massive role in England turning their campaign around after a hat-trick of losses to start with.
That Shabnim Ismail is one of the greatest seam-bowlers of all-time needs no restating. Fourteen wickets from eight games at an average of 17.50 saw her lead the Proteas bowling attack with pomp and fire, with colleague Ayabonga Khaka acting as the perfect foil.
Khaka was the Player of the Match in South Africa's Women's Cricket World Cup opener where they were in for a scare against Bangladesh. Khaka's accuracy complemented the pace of Ismail and the swing of Marizanne Kapp to great effect, making South Africa's pace attack the most potent one throughout the tournament.
Rounding off this lineup is a wrist-spinner who is bound to make a splash in the years to come. Taking to international cricket like a fish to water, Alana King gave it a real rip and used her variations and smarts to supreme effect. She was at it in the final as well, the manner in which she castled Sophia Dunkley around her legs standing out to great effect.
Twelve wickets in eight innings is what King finished her maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup campaign with. This is, if anything, just the beginning of a long and potentially great career to come!
Honorable mentions for the Women's Cricket World Cup playing XI
Jess Jonassen (Australia) - 13 wickets from eight games at 18.84.
Charlie Dean (England) - 11 wickets from six games at 18.00.
Beth Mooney (Australia) - 330 runs from nine games at 110.00 and a strike-rate of 100.9.
Pooja Vastrakar (India) - 156 runs from seven games at 26.00 and a strike-rate of 98.73; 10 wickets at 18.30.
Hayley Matthews (West Indies) - 260 runs from eight games at 37.14 and a strike rate of 80.00; 10 wickets at 26.80.
Best XI of ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022
Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Meg Lanning (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver, Marizanne Kapp, Sophie Ecclestone, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Alana King.