Five players set to shine at Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier
The stakes are high at the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier and we look at five players expected to rise to the occasion.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier event in Nepal commences on Sunday as 10 teams chase the final four spots at this year's 20-over showcase in England and Wales.
There is plenty of firepower among all the squads and we highlight five players primed to perform well at the event.
Nigar Sultana Joty (Bangladesh)
The Bangladesh captain remains one of the best players in women's cricket and the 28-year-old sits firmly inside the top 20 on the ICC Women's T20 Batting Rankings.
Sultana Joty was named in the Team of the Tournament during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier event last year and led from the front during the event in India when she scored a superb innings of 77 against Sri Lanka.
The Bangladesh No.4 also hit an unbeaten 75 against Namibia in one of the side's warm-up fixtures in Nepal and looks ready to continue that form during the upcoming event.
Every Nigar Sultana Joty dismissal | WT20WC 2024
Orla Prendergast (Ireland)
Prendergast has proven to be one of the premier all-rounders in women's cricket and her recent performances show the Ireland star is ready to shine in Nepal.
The 23-year-old won a place in the ICC Women's T20 Team of the Year in 2024 and improved on that effort when claiming the prestigious ICC Women's Player of the Month award in August of 2025 on the back of some superb performances with bat and ball in the European leg of T20 World Cup qualification.
Prendergast most recently scored consecutive half-centuries in Ireland's two warm-up fixtures against Nepal and Zimbabwe and more of the same is expected of the young star at this event.
Best of Orla Prendergast | Women's T20WC 2023
Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)
If Scotland are to qualify for a second straight Women's T20 World Cup then you can almost be guaranteed that skipper Kathryn Bryce will have a good tournament.
Bryce has shown her prowess in domestic circles in England and Australia across the last 12 months and has looked in good touch in the warm-up fixtures in Nepal with a wicket and a pair of decent scores with the bat in each of her side's matches.
The 28-year-old will likely take the new ball for Scotland in Nepal and bat in the top order and Scotland will be hoping their inspirational captain can lead the way at the event.
Kathryn Bryce on the charge against Pakistan | WCWCQ 2025
Kathryn Bryce unleashes a flurry of boundaries against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025.
Natthakan Chantham (Thailand)
The veteran batter was the side's leading run-scorer in Thailand's only previous visit to the Women's T20 World Cup in 2020 and is a more-than-capable top order performer.
Chantham hit an impressive half-century against Pakistan in Sydney at that 2020 event and has most recently looked in top shape with a whopping score of 148 against Singapore in Bangkok at the end of last year.
While Chantham managed scores of just 30 and seven in Thailand's two warm-up fixtures for the Qualifier, the hard-hitting right-hander has the knack of performing well on the biggest of stages.
Natthakan Chantham | ICC Associate Women's Cricketer of the Decade nominee
Konio Oala (Papua New Guinea)
The Papua New Guinea opener has only played 19 international matches for her country, but the hard-hitting right-hander is already earning a reputation as a match-winner.
At the ICC Women's T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier last year, Oala hit an unbeaten innings of 130 from just 71 deliveries and her recent knock of 71 in a warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe caught the eye of onlookers.
That knock featured a whopping seven sixes and more can be expected of Oala for Papua New Guinea in Nepal.
Oala hits three 6s
