The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Team of the Tournament on Monday and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is the only player from India who was included in the side. In an otherwise disappointing campaign for India, skipper Harmanpreet was the standout performer for the Women in Blue. She finished as India's top scorer and the fourth-highest overall in the tournament, amassing 150 runs in four innings.
With two fifties to her name, she boasted an incredible average of 150. Her strike rate of 133.92 was the fifth-best in the tournament. Kaur's quickfire 52 off 27 balls against Sri Lanka was crucial in keeping India's hopes alive for a semifinal spot.
South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt was a solid presence for her side at the top. Wolvaardt passed 30 in all but one of her games, with four scores of over 40. While her highest score came in South Africa's first game, it was her resilient 42 in the semi-final that set up a strong base during her team's successful chase against Australia.
In pursuit of 135, Wolvaardt helped put her team ahead of the game, scoring at a brisk pace with three fours and a six to her name, allowing Anneke Bosch to settle in and launch a stupendous counter-attack.
South Africa's opener formed a strong partnership with captain Laura Wolvaardt at the top of the order, driving the team to the final. Brits amassed 187 runs in six innings, with an impressive average of 37.40, making her the second-highest run-scorer, just behind Wolvaardt. She surpassed 40 runs in three innings, including a match-winning unbeaten 57 in South Africa's opening fixture against the West Indies.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge was a firecracker at the top of the order for the England side, notching up the most runs for them at the World Cup. The right-hand batter notched up scores of 40+ in each of England's first three games.
Wyatt-Hodge started off her tournament with a brisk 41 against Bangladesh, following it up with a crucial run-a-ball 43 to get past eventual runners-up South Africa. Her best performance was against Scotland in their penultimate game, where she slammed an unbeaten 26-ball 51, to guide England to a 10-wicket win in a record partnership alongside Maia Bouchier.
The Player of the Final and the Player of the Tournament, Melie Kerr starred in New Zealand's title-winning campaign. She contributed both with the bat and ball, scoring 135 runs in six innings, with her high score of 43 coming crucially in the final. She took 15 wickets in the competition, becoming the tournament's leading wicket-taker.
Her impressive 3 for 24 in the final, including the crucial wickets of Wolvaardt and Bosch, was pivotal in New Zealand's victory, securing their second ICC tournament title.
Deandra Dottin shone for the West Indies on her return to international cricket, scoring 120 runs in five innings at an average of 40, playing a crucial role for the team in the middle order. Her tournament-high nine sixes were unmatched, with the next-best being teammate Qiana Joseph's three.
Dottin also contributed with the ball, taking five wickets, including a standout performance of 4 for 22 in the semifinal against New Zealand. Her explosive power-hitting was key in West Indies' victory in the virtual quarterfinal against England, securing their spot in the semifinals. The Bangladesh wicketkeeper had a standout performance for the Tigresses, excelling both behind the stumps and with the bat.
She scored 104 runs in four innings at an average of 34.66, with a top score of 39 against the West Indies. Yet her best contributions came with the gloves, where she made six stumpings and took one catch. Her total of seven dismissals was the highest among wicketkeepers in the tournament.
Afy Fletcher came up clutch with the ball for the West Indies, finishing off with the third-most wickets at this T20 World Cup. Despite not picking up a wicket in their opening game against the Proteas, the 37-year-old returned with strong performances, taking 10 wickets in total, including two 3-wicket hauls against Scotland and England.
She picked up her best figures of 3-21 in the West Indies' defining match - their final group stage game against England, which paved their way into the last four. In the semi-final, she scalped two crucial wickets and a laudable 17* as well, with her side knocked out by eventual winners New Zealand.
New Zealand's impactful pacer Rosemary Mair bookended her tournament with two outstanding displays. It was the 25-year-old who returned the best figures for the White Ferns in their crucial opening win over India, taking 4/19 from her four overs - dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur with a hooping inswinger in the powerplay and then returning to clean up the tail in the death overs.
And Mair was excellent again in the final, taking 3/25 and once more playing the important role of bowling key overs in the powerplay and at the back-end of the innings. With probing accuracy combined with big movement, Mair proved an important weapon for the champions. No pace bowler took more wickets than her ten, and she finished as the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, behind only fellow finalists Nonkululeko Mlaba and Melie Kerr.
South Africa's pocket-sized dynamo made her team's tournament come to life with a brilliant 4/29 in their very first game against the West Indies.
Mlaba remained crucial for the Proteas throughout the event, varying her speeds and lengths to great effect against opposition batters. Whenever a partnership threatened South Africa, captain Wolvaardt would turn to Mlaba for a breakthrough, and the left-armer didn't disappoint.
Her scalp of Tahlia McGrath ended a promising stand for Australia in the semi-final, and Mlaba also removed the well-set Suzie Bates (32) and Melie Kerr (43) in the final.
Australia's reliable pacer Megan Schutt had a typically impactful outing in the UAE, troubling the batters throughout the innings. Her ability to maintain control was matched by her wicket-taking prowess. She was at her best in the group game against eventual champions New Zealand. She struck first in New Zealand's pursuit of 149, cleaning up Georgia Plimmer for 4. This was followed by wickets of Melie Kerr and Eden Carson in the 12th and 20th over respectively to seal a dominant win for Australia.
Such was Schutt's control on the night that she conceded merely three runs in her 3.2 overs.
Women's T20 WC Team of the Tournament: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Melie Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deandra Dottin, Nigar Sultana Joty (WK), Afy Fletcher, Rosemary Mair, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Megan Schutt.