The 13th edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup has begun as the top 8 teams fight it out for the most prestigious trophy. India and Sri Lanka are the hosts for this tournament. Captains play a vital role in any sport in a team’s success, and Cricket is no different. Whether it is implementing plans for team selection, field placements, developing rapport with juniors or seniors, maintaining calmness in the dressing room, a captain plays a crucial role. A captain needs to be focused while reading the playing conditions and making decisions during the toss. A captain is responsible for making important decisions on and off the field, and alongside this, motivating their teammates to give their best.
The Women’s World Cup has featured some of the finest captains in world cricket since its introduction in 1973. These captains have led with authority and have showcased a temperament that suits their style of approaching a particular situation. In this post, we discuss the five most successful captains in the women’s World Cup.
The captains mentioned in the list possessed temperament according to their personality. Whether it was their ability to approach a particular situation during team selection, field placements, bowling changes, or making changes in the batting lineup, the captains mentioned in the list brought success to their respective teams with their leadership abilities. Some captains showcased aggression, while some led their teams with a calm temperament. We discuss these captains in detail:
1. Mithali Raj (India)
Mithali Raj is considered amongst the finest cricketers in women’s cricket and a legendary figure in Indian cricket.
The former India captain and batter was named as the captain in the limited-overs format in 2005, and since then, she has led the team in 5 editions until retiring in 2022. Mithali captained India in 28 World Cup games, winning 16 games and losing 11, while 1 match resulted in no result. Her win percentage while captaining the team in World Cup games was 57.14%. Mithali was a motivation for budding Indian sportswomen. Her ability to bring the best out of a young player made her a vital figure in Indian women’s cricket. The former right-hander showcased calmness in pressure situations and could make clever bowling changes. Mithali played during that period when women’s cricket was dominated by Australia, England, and New Zealand, but still the former India captain was a motivating factor as far as leading the Indian team was concerned.
2. Belinda Clark (Australia)
Belinda Clarke possesses an incredible record when it comes to winning the most number of matches as captain in Women’s World Cup history.
The former Australian captain and batter captained the Australian women’s team in 21 World Cup games, winning 21, losing 1, and 1 game ending in a no result. Her win percentage as captain was 91.30 %.
Belinda Clarke played a crucial role in shaping Women’s Cricket in Australia as she was the Chief Executive of Women’s Australian Cricket. Clarke’s captaincy was a mix of aggression and calmness. Her clever field placements and her ability to adjust to playing conditions were a big plus for her teammates. Her experience of playing in different conditions helped her grow as a captain. Clark would be remembered as the greatest captain in Australian women’s cricket, especially when it came to captaining in World Cup matches. Clark backed veteran women cricketers in in crucial World Cup matches, who later on turned out to be match winners, as she always opted for players with more experience in the playing XI.
3. Charlotte Edwards (England)
Edwards would be remembered amongst the finest skippers in women’s cricket. The former right-hander and leg break bowler had the knack of approaching situations differently, which made her a pivotal figure.
Edwards captained England in 14 World Cup games, winning 11 and losing 3 with a win percentage of 78.57 %.
Whether it was the 50-over format or the shorter format, Edwards’ ability to change and adjust her strategies depending on the format made her a special player in women’s cricket. Her ability to make bowling changes depending on the opposition’s strengths and her ability to come up with a different plan for every batter made her a successful skipper in white ball cricket.
4. Meg Lanning (Australia)
Lanning is another key figure in Australian women’s cricket. The 33-year-old’s aggression and her ability to make clever bowling changes, especially in the middle overs, make her an intelligent leader.
Lanning captained Australia in 15 World Cup games, winning 13 and losing 2 as skipper with a win percentage of 86.66. Her ability to make bowling changes with the old ball and unorthodox field settings makes her a different captain compared to others.
Lanning’s ability to read the conditions and make changes in batting order depending on the formats makes her a vital figure as captain. Lanning has highlighted her charisma and attacking mindset during crunch situations as a captain against tough opponents when it comes to opting for a bowling line-up that is penetrative, and as per the playing conditions and wickets. This helped her to choose the team combinations in the right manner.
5. Sharon Ann Tredrea (Australia)
The former Australian all-rounder and captain added a new element in Australian women’s cricket during the 1980s that upgraded women’s cricket in Australia to e new level.
Tredrea would be an unknown figure for many cricket fans in today’s generation, but her ability to motivate her teammates and her winning mindset laid the foundation of a new beginning in Australian women’s cricket that was bold and ready to take risks. Tradrea captained the Australian women’s team in 15 World Cup games, winning 14 of them and 1 ending in a tie with a win percentage of 93.33%.
Tradrea used her experience of playing in different situations and her ability to make bowling changes as per the opposition batters’ strengths. Tredrea was a big influence on Australian women’s cricket, and her captaincy shaped Australian women’s cricket. Under her captaincy, the team showcased a never-say-die attitude that made the future generation of Australian women’s cricketers much more fearless in World Cup matches as she guided them with a positive mindset.