Top 5 players who can win Player of the Tournament at Women's T20 World Cup 2026

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will begin on June 12, with England and Sri Lanka facing off at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The same venue will host the event's massive contest between the two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, on June 14, with a massive focus on the encounter.

The World Cup is always a big event that brings together the best players around the globe against each other. Australia have been the most successful team in the history of the competition with six titles, while England, West Indies, and New Zealand have won it once each. Throughout the history of the event, many players have performed so well that they earned the Player of the Tournament (POTT) award. These are rewards for the players’ contributions to their sides throughout the campaign to bring success.

As of now, three players from the England side, Claire Taylor, Charlotte Edwards, and Anya Shrubsole, have received the POTT awards for their performance in the 2009, 2012, and 2014 seasons. In the case of the Australian side, Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, and Ashleigh Gardner got the prize in the three editions between 2018 and 2023. 

For the New Zealand side, two players, Nicolas Browne and Amelia Kerr, got the awards in 2010 and 2024, while for the West Indies, it was Stafanie Taylor, who earned the award in 2016 for her all-round show.

Who are the favourites for Player of the Tournament at the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? 

Heading into the 2026 edition, there will be a few players who can add themselves to the list of proud players. Here are the top five players ahead of the tenth edition of the competition.

#1 Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)- 776 WT20I runs since T20 World Cup 2024

Since the end of the previous T20 World Cup in 2024, the South Africa captain and opening batter, Laura Wolvaardt, is the third leading run-getter in the shortest format among the nations that will be part of the T20 World Cup 2026 in England. 

The right-handed batter has smashed 776 runs in just 20 innings at an average of 48.5 and a blistering strike rate of 143.70. She celebrated four half-centuries and two centuries in this period at the best score of unbeaten 115 runs, besides nailing 97 boundaries and 13 sixes in this process.

See Also: ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 — Full Squads of All 10 Teams Announced

For the Proteas, Wolvaardt is the leading run-getter by a big margin in the Women’s T20Is. She has thumped 2764 runs in 92 innings at an average of just below 39 and a strike rate of 121.97, scoring three centuries and 16 half-centuries at the best score of 115*.

In the previous T20 World Cup in 2024, the veteran was the leading run-getter of the competition, having collected 223 runs in six innings at an average of 44 and a decent strike rate of 113.19, with the best score of an undefeated 59 runs. Even in 2023, she finished at the top with 230 runs at a strike rate of 106.48, thanks to her three half-centuries.

#2 Shafali Verma (India)- 677 WT20I runs since T20 World Cup 2024

Since the end of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Shafali Verma is India’s second leading run-getter in the shortest format of the game. She has continued to use her active approach to smash the opposition bowlers around the park.

Verma has nailed 677 runs in 21 innings at an average of 365.63 and a jaw-dropping strike rate of nearly 160 since October 21, 2024. She has celebrated six half-centuries in this period at the best score of unbeaten 79 runs. In this process, she got 100 boundaries and 16 sixes.

For the blue brigade, the 22-year-old is the fourth leading run-getter of the shortest format. She has overall collected 2722 runs in 105 innings at an average of 27.49 and a very good strike rate of 135.49, with the help of 16 half-centuries at the best score of 81.

Since the beginning of 2023, India's Verma has blasted 211 runs in England out of eight innings at an average of 26.37 and a thrilling strike rate of 157.46. She hopes to continue the same success for the national side in the upcoming T20 WC 2026. 

#3 Georgia Voll (Australia)- 474 WT20I runs since T20 World Cup 2024

Since her debut, Georgia Voll has been fantastic in the shortest format of the game in women’s cricket. She is surprisingly their second leading run-getter in the shortest format since the last T20 World Cup 2024, after Beth Mooney’s 543 runs in 12 innings.

In that period, the Australia batter has smacked 474 runs in 12 innings at an average of 39.50 and a jaw-dropping strike rate of 156.43. She has celebrated three half-centuries and one century at the best score of 101, which came against the West Indies side at Kingstown in March this year.

See Also: ICC Women's T20 World Cup all-time winners list & history — Every champion from 2009 to 2024

Voll, who has been part of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025/26 season for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has nailed 62 boundaries and 10 sixes in the process and will aim to continue the success in a side that won’t have the experience of Alyssa Healy for the 2026 World Cup.

#4 Hayley Matthews (West Indies)- 781 runs & 17 wickets since T20 World Cup 2024

Since the end of the last T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE, West Indies’ opener and captain, Hayley Matthews, is the second leading run-getter in the shortest format among the sides that will participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

The right-handed batter has smashed 781 runs in 20 innings at an average of more than 55 and a fine strike rate of 131.70, thanks to seven half-centuries and one century at the best score of unbeaten 100 runs. With the ball, she has picked up 17 wickets in 20 innings at an economy rate of 7.44, thanks to the best bowling figures of 3/29 in an innings.

See Also: Most Wickets in Women's T20 World Cup History — All-Time Top Bowlers List Updated 2026

For the Caribbean side, Hayley Matthews is the second-highest run-getter in the WT20Is. She has collected 3159 runs in 118 innings at an average of below 30 and a strike rate of 116.74, scoring 20 half-centuries and three sixes. Even with the ball, she picked up 118 wickets in 111 innings at an economy rate of just over six. With her all-around performance, the veteran could get the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 for the West Indies.

#5 Lauren Bell (England)- 27 WT20I wickets since T20 World Cup 2024

Since the end of the last T20 World Cup 2024, England’s pacer, Lauren Bell, has been superb with the ball at any phase of the game. She has used the new ball to swing it and create pressure on the opposition batters. 

After October 21, 2024, Bell is the sixth leading wicket-taker in the shortest format among the teams that will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026. The right-arm bowler has picked up 27 wickets in 16 innings at an average of 17.62 and a fine strike rate of 15.80, including the impressive economy rate of 7.65.

See Also: Most Runs in Women's T20 World Cup History — All-Time Top 10 Batters Updated 2026

Bell, who picked up seven wickets in the three games of the recent three-match T20I series against India, has taken 36 wickets in 20 innings in England since the beginning of 2023. She has an average of 14.52 and a strike rate of 12.20 with an economy rate of just over seven. In the familiar conditions, Bell will have a major part to play with the ball for England to earn success in the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Apart from these few names, Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, India’s Smriti Mandhana, and England’s captain Nat Sciver Brunt can continue the strong performance to get the POTT award. Meanwhile, Ireland’s captain, Gaby Lewis, who has been in top-notch form with the bat in the last 12 months, can also put herself in the list.

Amelia Kerr, for New Zealand, will also aim to get successive awards of the tournament after gaining the last POTT in 2024 when they won the competition.  

‘Player of the Tournament’ award winners in the Women’s T20 World Cups-