Wicket-keeping is an important facet of cricket. A wicket-keeper needs to be alert, fast, agile, and vigilant all the time. A wicket-keeper not only needs to take fast catches but also needs to have a keen eye while deciding whether or not to review an umpire’s decision. A wicket-keeper’s input is crucial in such a scenario. On these lines, let us introduce you to the Top 10 Best Wicket-Keepers In Women’s World Cups (Till 18 March 2022)-
1. Jane Smit (40 wickets)
Jane Smit was England’s wicket-keeper who made her World Cup debut in 1993. In the 1997 edition in India, Smit effected 9 stumpings (third-most in a series). Overall, in Women’s ODI, Smit has been involved in 114 dismissals (fourth-most). But in the Women’s World Cup, Smit is the most successful wicket-keeper with 40 dismissals (22 catches, 18 stumpings).
2. Rebecca Rolls (32 wickets)
Rebecca Rolls made her World Cup debut for New Zealand in 1997 and played till 2005. She kept the wickets in 21 innings and has 24 catches and 8 stumpings to her name. She is third on the list of the most (133) dismissals for a wicket-keeper in Women’s ODIs. She has taken 89 catches behind the stumps in Women’s ODI which is the second-most after Trisha Chetty.
3. Trisha Chetty (31 wickets)
South Africa’s Trisha Chetty is the only active player in the Top 10 in this list. Since her World Cup debut in 2009, she has kept the wickets in 21 innings and has been involved in 31 wickets. With 173 dismissals, she is on the top of the all-time list of most wickets by a wicket-keeper in Women’s ODIs. Against Sri Lanka in 2013 in Cuttack, she affected 5 dismissals (joint-third most by a wicket-keeper in a Women’s World Cup innings). She has affected 49 stumpings (second-most) in Women’s ODIs.
4. Anju Jain (31 wickets)
India’s Anju Jain played the Women’s World Cup for 12 years and kept wickets in 23 innings. With 14 catches and 17 stumpings, she has 31 dismissals to her credit at an average of 1.347 dismissals per innings. With 51 stumpings, she has affected the joint-most stumpings in her career. She is tied on the second spot with 5 dismissals for the most dismissals in a Women’s World Cup innings.
5. Shirley Hodges (29 wickets)
England’s Shirley Hodges has 29 wickets in 22 innings including 17 catches and 12 stumpings. In the Women’s World Cup 1982, she was involved in 19 dismissals (second-most by a wicket-keeper in a single edition). 9 of those came in the form of stumping. This is the joint-third most in a single edition.
6. Rachel Priest (27 wickets)
Rachel Priest is a right-handed wicket-keeper-batter from New Zealand who made her World Cup wicketkeeping debut in 2009. In her complete career, she has effected 93 dismissals.
7. Julia Price (25 wickets)
Australia wicket-keeper batter Julia Clare Price has 25 dismissals (17 catches, 8 stumpings) to her credit in this tournament. She is sixth on the list with 99 dismissals for most dismissals in Women’s ODIs. In a bilateral series match against South Africa in Brisbane, she recorded 4 dismissals (joint second-most in a Women’s ODI).
8. Sarah Taylor (24 wickets)
England’s Sarah Taylor played World Cup from 2009 to 2017. In the 22 innings she kept the wickets, she was involved in 24 dismissals including 16 catches and 8 stumpings. On the list for most stumpings in a Women’s ODI career, she is tied with India’s Anju Jain with 51 stumpings. With 136 dismissals, she is second on the all-time list for the most dismissals by a female wicketkeeper in ODIs. With 89 catches, Taylor is third on the list for most catches by a female wicket-keeper in ODIs.
9. Fowzieh Khalili (21 wickets)
India’s Fowzieh Khalili has 21 dismissals in her pocket in 13 innings. This averages 1.615 dismissals per inning. She has 7 catches and 14 stumpings in these dismissals. In the Women’s World Cup 1982, she recorded 20 dismissals (most in a single edition). In the same year, she also recorded 13 stumpings (most in a single edition). Against England in Wanganui in 1982, she recorded 5 dismissals (joint second-most in a single inning).
10. Edna Ryan (21)
Edna Ryan played for New Zealand from 1978 to 1982. She kept in 15 innings and recorded 21 dismissals in those. Her dismissals included 13 catches and 8 stumpings. She is joint-third on the list for the most (4) dismissals in a Women’s World Cup inning. She is joint-third on the list for most (17) dismissals in a single edition which she did in 1982.
