Best Women Cricketers of All Time: Legends of the Game

Belinda Clark scored the first-ever double century in a One Day International, men’s or women’s, back in 1997. That single innings tells you a lot about how far ahead of the curve some of the women’s game’s early stars were, long before the sport had the funding or coverage it gets now. From Clark’s batting to Ellyse Perry’s all-round game decades later, women’s cricket keeps producing players who redefine what’s possible at the top level.

How the Women’s Game Has Evolved

Women’s cricket has been played formally since the 1930s, but investment, viewership, and talent depth have all jumped sharply in the last two decades. The Women’s T20 World Cup, the Women’s Ashes, and a growing list of domestic T20 competitions have pushed player development to levels the sport hadn’t seen before.

All-Time Great Women Cricketers

Player	Country	Discipline	Known For
Belinda Clark	Australia	Batting	First player to score an ODI double hundred
Charlotte Edwards	England	Batting	Longtime England captain, prolific run-scorer
Ellyse Perry	Australia	All-rounder	Test centuries and 300+ international wickets
Mithali Raj	India	Batting	Record ODI run-scorer in women’s cricket
Cathryn Fitzpatrick	Australia	Fast bowling	Regarded as the fastest women’s bowler ever
Heather Knight	England	All-rounder	England captain, consistent performer across formats
Smriti Mandhana	India	Batting	Elegant left-hander, among the best active batters

Belinda Clark, the Pioneer

Clark captained Australia to multiple World Cup titles and, as noted above, was the first cricketer of either gender to score an ODI double century. Beyond the record itself, she brought a level of professionalism and authority to the women’s game at a point when it needed exactly that to grow.

Ellyse Perry, the Standard-Bearer

Perry’s Test batting average and her wicket-taking as a medium-fast bowler put her in the conversation for greatest all-rounder the women’s game has produced. She’s been central to Australia’s dominance for well over a decade now, not a supporting piece but the standard other all-rounders get measured against.

Mithali Raj, India’s Icon

Raj batted at the top of India’s order for more than two decades and finished with more ODI runs than any woman in the sport’s history. Consistency was her signature: she led India to multiple World Cup finals and, in the process, pulled a generation of young Indian women into the sport.

Charlotte Edwards, England’s Finest

Edwards captained England for years and was their most prolific batter across formats, known for clean timing rather than raw power. Her leadership pushed England into serious contention on the global stage during a period when the team needed exactly that push.

Cathryn Fitzpatrick, the Fast Bowling Pioneer

Fitzpatrick generated genuine pace at a time when few women bowlers did, and she was a key part of Australia’s dominant run through the 1990s and 2000s. She reset what fans and opponents expected from pace bowling in the women’s game.

Current Stars to Watch

Smriti Mandhana bats left-handed for India with a style scouts and commentators keep calling elegant, and for good reason. Nat Sciver-Brunt gives England a genuine all-round threat. Sophie Ecclestone has climbed to the number-one ranked women’s bowler in the world on the strength of her left-arm spin. Beth Mooney has quietly put together a run of consistent white-ball scores over the past several years that few batters can match.