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The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup has produced some of the greatest individual performances in cricket history. Since the inaugural edition in 2009, ten Player of the Tournament awards have recognized players who have dominated their respective tournaments through runs, wickets, leadership or all-round excellence.
But not all campaigns are created equal. Some winners defeated their opponents by their statistical dominance. Others led their teams in moments of pressure, while a select few changed the direction of women’s cricket in their countries.
The rankings evaluate each ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament campaign based on tournament dominance, match-winning impact, team success, historical significance and how far the player stood compared to the rest of the field.
Rankings of all 10 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament campaigns (2009–2026)
Number 10 – Nicola Brown (2010)
When great ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaigns are discussed, Nicola Browne’s name is rarely mentioned. Yet the New Zealand pace bowler produced one of the most dominant bowling performances in the early years of the tournament.
Brown was the joint-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets and played a key role in taking New Zealand to another World Cup final. In an era when spin bowling dominated the shorter formats, Brown produced consistent successes with the new ball and during the crucial middle overs.
His numbers may not have been very high compared to later winners, but his contribution to New Zealand’s success was enormous.
Number 9 – Claire Taylor (2009)
The inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup was England’s and Claire Taylor was at the center of their victory.
Taylor scored 199 runs at an astonishing average of 199.00 and provided stability to England’s batting lineup, finishing the tournament unbeaten on several occasions. His ability to withstand pressure and build innings came to the fore in a tournament where batting was still developing in the T20 format.
Beyond the numbers, Taylor’s campaign set the template for future Player of the Tournament winners. He showed that consistency can be just as valuable as explosive strokeplay.
Number 8 – Charlotte Edwards (2012)
One of the greatest leaders in women’s cricket history, Charlotte Edwards combined captaincy excellence with excellent batting during the 2012 tournament.
Edwards finished as the leading run-scorer with 172 runs and led England to the final. Although his strike rate and overall dominance does not match some modern winners, his ability to lead from the front was instrumental in England’s success.
Only a few captains have managed to carry out the responsibility with such consistency on the big stage. She became the first captain to win the Player of the Tournament award.
Number 7 – Anya Shrubsole (2014)
Fast bowlers rarely dominate T20 tournaments the way Anya Shrubsole did in 2014. The England fast bowler took a tournament-best 13 wickets and provided consistent breakthroughs whenever her team needed them. At a time when most teams relied heavily on spin, Shrubsole’s pace and accuracy made him one of the most dangerous bowlers in the competition.
England ultimately missed out on lifting the trophy, but much of their progress was due to Shrubsole’s consistent wicket-taking ability. She was the one who almost single-handedly led England to the World Cup title.
Number 6 – Alyssa Healy (2018)
The 2018 tournament marked the beginning of Alyssa Healy becoming one of the most destructive white-ball players in the world.
Healy top-scored in the tournament with 225 runs and played a key role in Australia’s title-winning campaign. His fearless approach at the top of the order changed Australia’s approach to T20 cricket.
Opposition bowlers struggled to contain his aggression and his starts often laid the foundation for Australian victories.
No. 5 – Ashley Gardner (2023)
Few players have impressed at every stage of the tournament as Ashley Gardner did in 2023. Whether with bat, ball or in the field, Gardner consistently made match-winning contributions as Australia continued its era of dominance. His versatility allowed Australia to maintain control regardless of the situation.
Unlike pure batsmen or bowlers, Gardner’s importance came from influencing games in a number of ways. This versatility makes her campaign one of the most complete all-round performances in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup. She scored 110 runs and took 10 wickets and it was the most complete all-round campaign since Stafanie Taylor’s masterpiece in 2016.
No. 4 – Beth Mooney (2026)
Beth Mooney’s second Player of the Tournament award cemented her place among the greatest Women’s T20 World Cup performers of all time.
Mooney scored 238 runs throughout the tournament and saved his best for the biggest occasion, a match-winning inning of 64 in the final at Lord’s. His consistency once again became the backbone of Australia’s batting lineup as they secured another global title.
However, unlike their 2020 campaign, Australia were no longer solely dependent on Mooney’s runs. Several teammates made major contributions throughout the competition, making the relative weight of their impact slightly lower than that of the top three campaigns on this list.
Number 3 – Amelia Kerr (2024)
Amelia Kerr produced arguably the greatest bowling campaign in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup. The New Zealand superstar took a tournament-record 15 wickets and played a key role in helping the White Ferns to their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup title. Whenever New Zealand needed success, Kerr provided it.
His performance in the final took his campaign higher. Kerr earned Player of the Match honours, as well as the Player of the Tournament award, capping one of the most impressive World Cup performances ever seen. She was not just New Zealand’s best player. She was the deciding force of the tournament.
Number 2 – Beth Mooney (2020)
If Amelia Kerr’s 2024 campaign represented bowling perfection, Beth Mooney’s 2020 tournament remains the standard for batting dominance.
Mooney scored 259 runs and looked untouched from the opening match till the final. He consistently scored big, handled the pressure and carried Australia’s batting unit in difficult moments.
Her unbeaten innings in the final helped Australia clinch the trophy in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, producing one of the finest batting performances in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup.
Number 1 – Stephanie Taylor (2016)
No Player of the Tournament campaign has equaled the sheer impact of Stafanie Taylor’s 2016 masterpiece.
Taylor was the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 246 runs, contributed valuable wickets with the ball, led West Indies to their first Women’s T20 World Cup title and performed well under constant pressure. His impact went far beyond statistics.
West Indies women’s cricket had never before reached such heights and Taylor became a symbol of a transformative moment for the game in the Caribbean. She was simultaneously the team’s best batsman, one of its leading bowlers and a leader.
While other winners dominated with bat or ball, Taylor excelled in both disciplines, taking on the additional responsibility of captaincy. That combination remains unmatched.
She is ranked number 1 because no player has a better combination of batting dominance, bowling impact, leadership and historical significance than Stafanie Taylor in 2016.
Beth Mooney, Amelia Kerr and Stafanie Taylor: Three different definitions of dominance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
The debate about the greatest Women’s T20 World Cup campaign ultimately comes down to three players.
Beth Mooney’s 2020 tournament represented pure batting excellence. She was Australia’s batting engine, scoring runs with remarkable consistency and setting a standard that future batsmen still chase today. Every innings seemed inevitable, and his dominance over the opposition bowling attack was unmatched.
Amelia Kerr’s 2024 campaign offered a very different kind of greatness. Instead of defeating the opponents by runs, they destroyed them with wickets. His record of 15 wickets is one of the most extraordinary bowling achievements ever seen at a global event. More importantly, those wickets directly helped New Zealand clinch their historic title for the first time.
Then there’s Stephanie Taylor. Unlike Mooney and Kerr, Taylor was not just pursuing one discipline. He led the team as captain and made huge contributions with both bat and ball. It seemed as if every victory had his fingerprints on it.
Mooney had an excellent batting campaign. Kerr produced an excellent bowling campaign. But Taylor had an excellent all-round campaign. That’s why their 2016 performance remains the benchmark against which every future Women’s T20 World Cup campaign will be measured.