Top 20 Women Cricket Players in the World 2017

Ellyse Perry became the youngest Australian ever to play international cricket when she debuted in the second ODI of the Rose Bowl series against New Zealand in July 2007, before her 17th birthday, despite never having played a domestic match at the senior level. Considered a genuine all-round prospect right from the start, Perry's stellar rise has seen her take on the role of pace spearhead in the Australian bowling attack.

Jamaican-born Stafanie Taylor went on her first cricket tour as a 10-year old. Though also a talented footballer, she chose cricket because she figured she "could travel the world more by playing cricket than football." West Indies Women have been the major beneficiary of that decision ever since she emerged onto the international scene as a 17-year old, hitting a 49-ball 90 on T20I debut against Ireland in 2008. In 2013 she became the only player in history, male or female, to ever achieve the number one ODI ranking in both batting and bowling simultaneously.

Aptly nicknamed "the Megastar", Meg Lanning has achieved an incredible amount for someone so young. In 2006 she became the first girl to play first XI cricket for a Public Schools team when she represented Carey Grammar at the age of 14. Her ODI debut came in 2011 against England, and in only her second game, she scored an unbeaten 103, becoming at 18 years and 288 days old the youngest Australian - male or female - to score an international century. A year later, in an ODI against New Zealand, she broke the record for the fastest century by an Australian, racking up her ton in a mere 45 balls.

Marizanne Kapp has progressed to become one of South Africa Women's premier all-rounders since making her international debut at the 2009 World Cup in Australia. She holds the record for the highest-ever score by a South African at Women's World Cups: 102* against Pakistan at Cuttack in 2013. During the course of her innings, she also forged a 128-run stand with Dane van Niekerk, which is the highest-ever partnership for South Africa Women at a World Cup. She took 3 for 18 with her medium pace in the same game to ensure her side progressed to the Super Sixes stage.

Mithali Raj at 19 emerged as one of India's most capable batsmen with a staggering 214 against England in the second and final Test at Taunton. The middle-order bat now has the second highest score in women's Test cricket, having been surpassed by Kiran Baluch who scored 242 against West Indies in March 2004.

A leg-spinning all-rounder who turns the ball prodigiously, Dane van Niekerk made her international debut for South Africa at the 2009 World Cup in Australia, playing in South Africa's loss to the West Indies in the group stages, and then taking 3 for 11 as South Africa beat Sri Lanka in the 7th place play-off later in the tournament.

All-rounder Amy Satterthwaite, who hails from Canterbury, is a right-arm medium pacer who bats left-handed. Known as "Branch" due to her distinct height advantage, she debuted for her state side - the Canterbury Magicians - in 2003, aged 16. After scoring a century on the Canterbury team's tour of England in 2006, Satterthwaite was selected for the New Zealand A team, for matches against the White Ferns and India in 2006.

If the BCCI were to institute a 'Hall of Fame' for women's cricket in India, Jhulan Goswami would certainly feature. A decade and a half since bursting onto the scene, Goswami, one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game till not too long ago, has reaped rewards through control and minute deviations off the pitch. In May, she surpassed Cathryn Fitzpatrick to become the highest wicket-taker in women's ODI history. Now, she doubles up as a mentor to a young group of fast bowlers coming through the ranks in India.

Jess Jonassen was born on November 5, 1992, Emerald, Queensland. She plays for Australia Under-21s Women, Australia Women, Brisbane Heat Women, Queensland Women.

Born in 1987 in Dunedin, Suzie Bates learned cricket in the back yard with her two older brothers. Much of her early club cricket days were spent playing alongside boys; however, she was "spotted" playing in a national competition for the Otago Girls' High School. By the time she was 15, she was representing the Otago Sparks in New Zealand's national women's cricket league.

Cricket is in Katherine Brunt's blood - she first played the game through joining in the nets with her brother at the family's club, Barnsley, where her dad played for the 2nd XI. A skiddy fast bowler, she represented Yorkshire at Under-15 and Under-17 level, but took a break from county cricket at the age of 17 because she was overweight and not really enjoying the game.

Ayabonga Khaka was born in July 18, 1992. She plays for Border Women and South Africa Women.

Harmanpreet Kaur lives and swears by her idol Virender Sehwag's mantra of 'see ball, hit ball.' She represents the new-age India women's cricketer, part of a generation that has been at the center of ad campaigns, endorsements and central contracts. She's a path-breaker too, having become the first India cricketer - male or female - to sign a Big Bash League contract with Sydney Thunder in Australia. The deal came about on the back of an impressive showing during India's tour of Australia in January 2016, where she made a 31-ball 46 to script India's highest-ever T20 chase. In June 2017, she became the first Indian to sign with Surrey Stars in ECB's Kia Super League.

A solid, unshowy middle-order batsman, Blackwell made her senior domestic debut as a bowling allrounder for New South Wales in 2001-02, but it was not until the following season that she really announced herself as a batsman with a maiden half-century against Victoria.

A pace bowler best known for her lethal inswingers, Anya Shrubsole is Somerset born and bred and has represented her native county since she was 12 years old. Under the guidance of her father Ian, a former Minor Counties cricketer, she was brought up playing boys cricket at Bath Cricket Club and at age 13 became the first girl to join the Somerset Academy.

Opening fast-medium bowler Shabnim Ismail made her debut for South Africa as they emerged from their wilderness years in 2007, and quickly became their all-time leading international wicket-taker, a position she maintained throughout her career, having taken 149 international wickets up to and including the 2016 Women's World T20 in India.

Natalie Sciver was born in Tokyo and first played cricket while growing up in the Netherlands, though it was initially her third-choice sport after football and tennis. She is a genuine all-rounder who, on the back of impressive performances for Surrey in the County Championship in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, was called up for England for their 2013 series against Pakistan. She stormed onto the international scene that summer, taking 3 for 28 against Pakistan and claiming the Player of the Match award in only her second ODI.

A hard-hitting batsman hailing from the Transvaal in South Africa, Lizelle Lee began her international career as an opener, but has since settled in the middle of the order of the Women Proteas line-up.

D. Sharma was born on August 24, 1997, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. She plays for India A Women, India Green Women, India Women.

Suné Luus was born on January 5, 1996. She plays for Northerns Women, South Africa Under-19s Women, South Africa Women.