Australia
World Cup best: Winners – 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013
Favourites, as ever. The team to beat going into this Women’s World Cup, Australia are in a healthy place, even if the ongoing pay dispute between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association has led to them being used more as propaganda props. There hasn’t been much regeneration needed from their 2013 side, with Meg Lanning leading at perhaps the peak of her powers. Ellyse Perry’s evolution – more on that later – along with a rejigged batting line-up have freshened up their bowling attack with youth. Keep an eye on Belinda Vakarewa: a right-arm quick who hits the pitch hard.
Captain: Meg Lanning
Key player: Ellyse Perry. The only thing more valuable than Bitcoin. All-rounders are serious currency in the game and, since Perry has been given a place in Australia’s middle order, few come close to matching her decisive contributions. Even her captain, who might be the best with the bat the women’s game has seen. Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said batters win you games, but bowlers win you trophies. He forgot to add that all-rounders build you legacies. That’s exactly what Perry gives to Australia.
Fixtures: West Indies, 26 June; Sri Lanka, 29 June; New Zealand, 2 July; Pakistan, 5 July; England, 9 July; India, 12 July; South Africa, 15 July
England
World Cup best: Winners: 1973, 1993, 2009
The closest challengers. It is Mark Robinson’s second world tournament as England head coach, but it feels as though this will be the first with a team that can be denoted as “his”. Last summer’s shellacking of Pakistan was followed by a more testing winter, and all the noises around the camp seem to be that England fancy this. A stress fracture in Knight’s left foot threatened to derail a meticulously planned route into the competition but her recovery has been swift enough that England haven’t really missed a step. The welfare and management of Sarah Taylor is a boost – she remains one of the game’s most natural talents – and she will return to a younger side who are a lot more sure of themselves.
Captain: Heather Knight
Key player: Nat Sciver. No one is really sure how good Sciver can be. Right now, she’s very good, and so much about her is geared towards an exponential rise. She’s developed a knack for taking wickets and a seemingly unquenchable thirst for runs (her last two one-day matches for Surrey saw her follow up 135 not out with an unbeaten 107*).
Fixtures: India, 24 June; Pakistan, 27 June; Sri Lanka, 2 July; South Africa, 5 July; Australia, 9 July; New Zealand, 12 July; West Indies, 15 July
New Zealand
World Cup best: Winners – 2000
Historically, New Zealand have flattered to deceive in international competition and 2017 could perhaps be the last chance for a golden generation to come good in 50-over cricket. That might seem a tad dramatic but with such talents as Bates, Sophie Devine, Amy Satterthwaite and quick bowler Lea Tahuhu – on her day, the fastest around – with enough experience behind them, this will be targeted as the tournament to win for them. Disappointment in last year’s World T20, losing to eventual winners West Indies in the semi-final, will have only strengthened that desire.
Captain: Suzie Bates
Key player: Sophie Devine. Suzie Bates, seven ODI hundreds and an average of 41, is New Zealand’s best player but Devine might be their most valuable. Originally a bowler who can send the ball down at pace (she still does), it’s her batting that has come on during an international career that has spanned over a decade. She’s destructive in the middle order and is generally the player the White Ferns look to when they need to take the game away from someone.
Fixtures: Sri Lanka, 24 June; South Africa, 28 June; Australia, 2 July; West Indies, 6 July; Pakistan, 8 July; England, 12 July; India, 15 July
India
World Cup best: Finalists – 2005
Led by Mithali Raj, who has hinted that this could be her last World Cup, and spearheaded by graceful all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, India are blessed with ample match-winning talents throughout their batting line-up. In Smriti Mandhana, they have one of the classiest left-hand bats going. While their bowling won’t scare many teams, they are still able to call on 34-year-old seamer Jhulan Goswami, who recently became the leading ODI wicket-taker in women’s cricket when she surpassed Australian Cathryn Fitzpatrick’s haul of 180 earlier this year. While they underperformed at a home World Cup, they may flourish this time around, with less pressure and playing on better pitches.
Captain: Mithali Raj
Key player: Harmanpreet Kaur. One of the cleanest hitters in the tournament. The first Indian cricketer to play in the WBBL, turning out for Sydney Thunder and soon to be the first to play in the Kia Super League for Surrey Stars. Breaking barriers and taking names. She hits big down the ground and doesn’t mind going on one knee to open up the leg side. She has a few admirers, most notably Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, who commentated on the WBBL and singled out Kaur as “a wonderful addition to the tournament”.
Fixtures England, 24 June; West Indies 29 June; Pakistan, 2 July; Sri Lanka, 5 July; South Africa, 8 July; Australia, 12 July; New Zealand, 15 July
South Africa
World Cup best: Semi-finalists – 2000
The most improved side in the last four years. Since the 2013 World Cup, South Africa have made the biggest gains but are just short of being considered serious contenders. Led by Dane van Niekerk, who rips leggies like Shane Warne as well as taking up an important spot in the middle order, they are just as young and vibrant as they are wily and experienced. Suné Luus, another leg spinner who bats, is just 21, while Marizanne Kapp – 27, with 78 ODI caps – is the number one ranked bowler in that format. Throw Shabnim Ismail into the mix, a volatile quick who gives their bowling attack an edge, along with heavy-hitter Lizelle Lee, and you have yourselves a dark horse.
Captain: Dane van Niekerk
Key player: Lizelle Lee. Softly spoken, steely eyed and the type of bat who clears fences, not ropes. Lee hit the most sixes in 2016 and is leading the line in 2017. Much of South Africa’s advancement between World Cups and going forward in this edition is underpinned by a freedom to express themselves. Lee’s game is an obvious extension of that. Her favourite player is Lance Klusener. By association she should be yours, too.
Fixtures Pakistan, 25 June; New Zealand, 28 June; West Indies, 2 July; England, 5 July; India, 8 July; Sri Lanka, 12 July; Australia, 15 July
Sri Lanka
World Cup best: 5th – 2013
A qualification tournament at home certainly helped Sri Lanka, finishing third to confirm their attendance at this World Cup. Quite how they will do in English conditions remains to be seen, but a squad skewed with more seamers than usual suggests they will give it a good go. The return of former captain Shashikala Siriwardene gives the current one, Inoka Ranaweera an extra wise head at her disposal. The bulk of their runs will come from up top, with Nipuni Hansika and Chamara Athapaththu. Undoubtedly the weakest side of the eight sides.
Captain: Inoka Ranaweera
Key player: Shashikala Siriwardene. A long injury break kept Siriwardene out of action for a while, but she returns with her legacy still in tact. She is approaching 100 ODIs, having taken 106-wickets with off spin that relies more on craft than turn. She can also bat: currently the country’s second-highest run-getter.
Fixtures New Zealand, 24 June; Australia, 29 June; England, 2 July; India, 5 July; West Indies, 9 July; South Africa, 12 July; Pakistan, 15 July
Pakistan
World Cup best: 6th – 2009
A team who came to England last year and were embarrassed but will be better for that humbling experience. They beat a strong West Indies side in the warm-ups and, last summer’s blip aside, have shown steady progress in the last few years, including beating India at the World T20 last year. They come rich with spinners: Sana Mir and Bismah Maroof can frustrate the best of them with varying paces and trajectories. Mir’s captaincy is impressive, too. Don’t expect them to win the competition but definitely expect an upset. They have come a long way from their first World Cup in 1997, when there were newspaper editorials back in Pakistan calling for violence against the players.
Captain: Sana Mir
Key player: Bismah Maroof. Gives her captain 10 overs but the biggest contributions from Bismah Maroof come with bat in hand. An exceptional timer, a lot of Pakistan’s work, particularly when chasing, live or dies by her work. Case in point: her 75 in the warm-up win over West Indies, in which she and Nain Abidi (81 not out) took Pakistan to their target of 247 with 14 balls to spare. In a team not blessed with power hitters, her finesse shines through.
Fixtures South Africa, 25 June; England, 27 June; India, 2 July; Australia, 5 July; New Zealand, 8 July; West Indies, 11 July; Sri Lanka, 15 July
West Indies
World Cup best: Finalists – 2013
Entering the tournament with high expectations after winning the 2016 World T20 and have, again, a host of players who thrive on the women’s T20 circuit. Stafanie Taylor, Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin have experience of both the WBBL and the Kia Super League and, in the small world of women’s cricket, that counts for a lot. English conditions will not off-set them much at all. Their success in India last year was built on two or three players performing well at different times and while that will work to a point in the 50-over format, they could do with more reliability around that core three.
Captain: Stafanie Taylor
Key player: Deandra Dottin. Another all-rounder and another world-beater on her day. It is Dottin’s death-bowling that most impresses, but she’s also a destructive batter – she was the first woman to score an international Twenty20 hundred, off 38 balls – and was a large part of West Indies success in 2016’s World T20.
Fixtures Australia, 26 June; India, 29 June; South Africa, 2 July; New Zealand, 6 July; Sri Lanka, 9 July; Pakistan, 11 July; England, 15 July
