@ahmedleo414 @Aislabie @mohsin7827 @Yash.
So, to be honest, I can't quite pick a "best" from the amount of really good players out there. What I've done is try to select about as good of a squad that I can, and even then I couldn't exactly just stick to eleven people. I have twelve.
Country cap limits don't apply.
Elyse Villani (batting average 28.52 in 62 T20is, best 90*) - They often bring in the boundary ropes by a few metres for women's matches. Wouldn't have been any issue for Villani, she'll effortlessly hit an 85-metre six and then without even thinking twice, drive the bowler for four off of the next delivery. You need runs at the top? Give this lady a call.
Kate Blackwell (batting average 39.66 in 6 T20is, best 43*) - Whenever anyone mentions twins and cricket in the same sentence, the thoughts all go to the Waugh brothers. But Kate and her sister Alex are notable for actually being identical, thus far one of the extremely few identical pairs to have represented their country at the top level. Alex might have been the one who got a bigger opportunity, but I think Kate was actually the better player.
Javeria Khan (batting average 22 in 101 T20is, best 70*) - Her relatively low-ish average doesn't tell you the full story behind just how great of a player she is. She literally can bat anywhere in the order, although she's probably most comfortable at or near the top, so that she'll get the team off to a solid start. She'll captain this team, from what I've read about her, she's mentally quite strong.
Christina Gough (batting average 48.75 in 13 T20is, best 101*) - It's not easy to compare a player from a team such as Germany to some of the more established nations, but she's a superstar in her team for sure. From the couple of videos I've seen of her, she's faced some really atrocious bowling, but she's technically correct and looks to be a really good batter.
Bismah Mahroof (batting average 27.46 in 108 T20is, best 70*) - She'll anchor the middle. Never one to play a shot out of anger, she's the sort of player who is a treat to watch in limited overs contests. Not seemingly aggressive, but give her a few overs and you suddenly notice that she's scored at a run a ball and is looking dangerous. The rest of the batters can go after the bowling from the other end, she'll just do what she does best. Not here for her bowling, but if needed, she can turn her arm over.
Kathryn Bryce (batting average 50 in 14 T20is, best 73*) -
@mohsin7827 you chose her sister Sarah over her, I think you maybe missed out on someone special in Kat. She can be a bit expensive with the ball, but in this team she isn't being picked for her bowling.
Nadine de Klerk (batting average 24.1 in 20 T20is, best 37* - 18 wickets at 14.38, best 3/18) - She's a pick based off of potential, but she's had a good start to her international career. Mentioned in Cricinfo's list of 20 females to look out for in the 2020s, she hasn't done a thing wrong that would prove their writers otherwise. (Side note: among us we've picked quite a few players
from that list.)
Jessica Duffin (batting average 20.91 in 64 T20is, best 68* - 1 catch as keeper) - It's perhaps a little unfair that I pick a makeshift wicketkeeper, but she has made crucial runs when the usually-strong Australia team needed it after losing a few cheap wickets. She hasn't kept wicket very much, yet she is quite capable with the gloves. And she plays Aussie rules football - not someone I'd want to run into if she's in an angry mood.
Nattaya Boochatham (49 wickets at 9.42 in 39 T20is, best 4/3) - No, your eyes aren't deceiving you and you didn't misread things, neither did I make a typo. Her bowling average actually is
9. Now, she might not have very many matches against "strong" opposition, but that sort of bowling is not to be ignored. About half of her 49 wickets are either bowled or LBW too, it shows a willingness to target the stumps more often than not.
Cathryne Fitzpatrick (no wickets in 2 T20is, best 0/14) - Hard done by, she was on her way out of the international scene just when Women's T20s were getting more popular. She is widely regarded as probably the fast seamer to ever play the women's game alongside Jhulan Goswami, Lea Tahuhu and Shabnim Ismail, and her averages reflect that, she goes for less than 20 in both Tests and ODIs.
Ekta Bisht (53 wickets at 14.71 in 42 T20is, best 4/21) - When it's her day, she can destroy batting lineups. Always featuring in the wickets tally anytime she bowls, she's a force to be reckoned with for sure.
Jahanara Alam (55 wickets at 20.7 in 71 T20is, best 5/28) - A lot of people will know her for her eyeliner makeup, but for someone who didn't even understand cricket until 2007, she's a very good player. She hasn't really reaped the bowling rewards that she should, but she's someone you need to have on your radar.