BOWLERS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026
Media release
From devastating speed to devious spin, the bowlers on show at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be doing their best to make life as tough as possible for the batters.
Meet the players hoping to bowl their teams to glory in England and Wales.
Australia – Annabel Sutherland
T20 is the format in which Annabel Sutherland’s batting and bowling stats switch. While excelling with the bat in Tests and ODIs, Sutherland shows her prowess with the ball in T20 internationals.
Since the last World Cup, Sutherland leads the wicket-taking charts for Australia, taking 15 scalps at an average of just 11.4, including producing her career-best figures of four for eight against New Zealand in March 2025.
Bangladesh – Rabeya Khan
Bangladesh booked their place at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in style, winning every game of the Qualifier, and Rabeya Khan led the way with the ball.
She took nine wickets with her leg-spin bowling at an average of 17.55, with best figures of three for five against Namibia.
At just 21, Rabeya is fast approaching both 50 wickets and T20I appearances for her country, having also appeared at the 2024 edition, taking two wickets in her debut campaign.
England – Charlie Dean
Charlie Dean is coming of age before our eyes. Now a regular in the England XI, the spin-bowling all-rounder is also vice-captain and has regularly stepped in to skipper the side in Nat Sciver-Brunt's absence.
One of three England bowlers in the top 10 of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings, she has taken 17 wickets since the last World Cup, more than any of her compatriots.
India – Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma is the fourth-ranked bowler and all-rounder in the world for women’s T20Is, a reflection of her consistent contributions for India.
Having ticked past a decade of women’s T20Is earlier this year, the off-spinner has taken 160 wickets at an average of just 19.42 and is still breaking new ground having taken the first T20I five-fer of her career against South Africa in April.
Ireland – Arlene Kelly
Arlene Kelly showed signs of things to come when she made her ICC Women’s T20 World Cup debut in 2023, taking four wickets including two for 27 against Pakistan.
Earlier this year, Kelly was a starring reason why Ireland made it back to the big stage, taking 13 wickets across their Qualifier campaign, with best figures of four for seven against Thailand to secure her side’s place in England and Wales.
In four years of T20I cricket, the right-arm medium pacer has a frightening average of just 13.97.
The Netherlands – Iris Zwilling
At 24 years of age, Iris Zwilling has already been playing cricket for the Netherlands for seven years and is the side’s leading wicket-taker.
She sits just two wickets away from reaching 100 in T20Is, something no Dutchwoman has done in any format. With her right-arm medium pace, Zwilling’s 98 scalps so far have come at an average of 15.80, seven of those coming at the Qualifier as the Netherlands secured a place at their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
New Zealand – Amelie Kerr
Amelie Kerr could be named in lists of best batters, all-rounders and bowlers at this ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Her bowling led her to be named Player of the Tournament in 2024 as the leg-spin bowler took a tournament-high 15 wickets, taking at least one in each match she played, to help New Zealand lift the trophy.
She has claimed 104 wickets across 96 T20I games and the White Ferns skipper is set to become a centurion at the World Cup.
Pakistan – Sadia Iqbal
Sadia Iqbal is the top-ranked women’s T20I bowler in the world after years of consistent performances.
She first went to the summit in 2024 and returned to top spot for a third time earlier this year, having taken five wickets across a three-game series with South Africa.
The left-arm spinner has taken 73 wickets across 56 T20I matches for Pakistan, with her average since the last T20 World Cup sitting at 13.57.
Scotland – Kathryn Bryce
A true all-rounder, Kathryn Bryce is a captain, leader and legend for Scotland.
She impressed with the ball in the Qualifier as her side’s leading wicket-taker, producing figures of four for 30 as Scotland defeated Ireland.
She then took two wickets against the USA to help confirm Scotland’s place in the World Cup. Bryce sits second on the all-time list for Scotland with 60 wickets in 56 games, occupying the same position on the run-making list.
South Africa – Shabnim Ismail
Anyone who started watching cricket after the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 might have feared they had missed the chance to see the legendary Shabnim Ismail bowl for South Africa.
Her last game for the Proteas was that year’s final on home soil, where she took her 122nd and 123rd T20I wickets in a losing cause.
But Ismail, who remains South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in the format, reversed her retirement in May and will be eager to stamp her mark on the tournament.
Sri Lanka – Kavisha Dilhari
Kavisha Dilhari has had to step up as Sri Lanka have moved on from several long-serving bowlers, with none of Inoka Ranaweera, Inoshi Priyadharshani and Udeshika Prabodhani selected for the 2026 edition.
Since the last World Cup, Dilhari has led the way for her country with 15 wickets. Her best returns in that time came against the West Indies, where she took three for five in a rain-affected match.
West Indies – Afy Fletcher
The oldest player at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, Afy Fletcher continues to deliver on the world stage.
Now with over 100 T20I appearances to her name, the leg-spinner has also passed a century of wickets in the format, reaching the feat against Australia, as she took the prize dismissal of Beth Mooney in March.
The 39-year-old has been on the international scene since 2008, winning the T20 World Cup with the West Indies in 2016.