Top 5 Wicket Takers in Women’s Cricket World Cups

Not many people know the fact that the women’s world championship in cricket began a couple of years before the first men’s world cup took place. Initially not organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), it was brought under it much later but with eleven editions of the tournament being played so far, there are several long-lasting records held by some of the best women’s cricketers of the era.

Women’s World Cup – Most Wickets

Only recently we spoke about the top run scorers in the history of the women’s world cups, which first took place in 1973. Today, we’re going to focus our attention on the bowlers, listing down some of the best bowlers of the tournament. Updated as of 26 February 2022, take a look at the bowlers with the most wickets in women’s world cups…

5) Cathryn Fitzpatrick

Australia Women have the most number of women’s world cup titles, so you’d obviously see a lot of Australia names in this list. With her World Cup career being between 1993-2005, Cathryn Fitzpatrick picked up 33 wickets in 25 games, with a best of 3/18 in this tournament. Of course, she’s likely to be displaced on this list after the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup gets over as quite a few current players are close to her.

4) Jhulan Goswami

The only non-retired player on this list of leading wicket-takers at the women’s world cup, Jhulan Goswami has had a very long international career for India which has spanned 20 years now. Having played four world cups till date, she’s accumulated 36 wickets in 28 world cup games and this includes a couple of 4-fers and a best bowling spell of 4/16. She’s in the squad for the 2022 Women’s World Cup and is likely to go to the top of this list in that tournament as well.

3) Clare Taylor

This player like Goswami also played multiple world cups between 1988-2005 and during that time, she also bagged 36 wickets but in a couple of less games (26 matches). Clare Taylor had a couple of 4-fers in her time at the women’s world cup and that includes a best of 4/13. She also had the best economy rate from bowlers on this list, bowling at a very stunning 2.10 runs per over, but that’s also due to the fact that she played at an earlier time where scoring rates were slower!

2) Carole Hodges

Another England bowler, this off-spinner played only three world cups between 1982-1993 but is still one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament’s history. In 24 matches at the women’s world cup, she’s bagged 37 wickets and is also the only bowler on the list to have three 4-fers to her names. This also includes a best of 4/3 and with plenty of runs to her name as well, she’s arguably one of the best all-rounders to have played the women’s world cup.

1) Lyn Fullston

Topping the list is another Australian bowler and the only non-living person on this list. And the most commendable part about her being on top of this list is that she played only two world cups between 1982 and 1988, while also playing the least number of games from those on this list. In just 20 games (41 ODIs in her international career), she picked up 39 wickets and this includes two fifers, a bowling average of 11.94 and a personal best spell of 5/27!