Who are the top 10 players to watch at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024?

From Smriti Mandhana to Abtaha Maqsood, Al Jazeera picks the 10 players who could light up the tournament in the UAE.

Some of cricket’s finest talent will be on display at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which gets under way with a match between Bangladesh and Scotland in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday.

All 10 teams will rely on the experience of their big-name players to lead them all the way to glory in the October 20 final in Dubai.

Al Jazeera picks the 10 players to watch out for at the ninth edition of the tournament.

Chamari Athapathuthu: Sri Lanka

Athapathuthu, with her impressive all-round skills, will be at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s campaign in the tournament. The Sri Lankan captain is ranked fifth in the ICC’s Women’s T20 all-rounder standings and recently led her country to their first-ever Asia Cup title. The 34-year-old bowls accurate off-spin and can be an explosive batter in the shortest format of the game. Athapaththu has made 246 international appearances since her debut – at the age of 19 – in the T20 World Cup in 2006 and boasts a wealth of experience in franchise T20 cricket as well.

CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka Women bats during the 2nd Vitality IT20 match between England Women and Sri Lanka women at The Cloud County Ground on September 02, 2023 in Chelmsford, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images) — Chamari Athapaththu has 246 international appearances for Sri Lanka [File: Tony Marshall/Getty Images]

Deepti Sharma: India

Sharma will be crucial to India’s chances as her nation’s highest-ranked bowler (2nd) and all-rounder (3rd) in the T20 format. The 27-year-old off-break bowler and left-handed batter has appeared 211 times for her country. The cool-headed Indian star was one of the leading performers at the Women’s Hundred tournament in England, where her monstrous six-off sealed the title for London Spirit.

Fatima Sana: Pakistan

Sana, who made her debut in 2019 at the age of 18, is the rising star of Pakistan cricket and its great hope following its difficult recent run. Although yet to score a fifty for her country, the fast-bowling all-rounder has scored a minimum of 20 runs in her last six international innings. The young captain will look to add more wickets to her 31 in dismissals in T20s if Pakistan are to make a mark on tournament.

Smriti Mandhana: India

Mandhana has been a mainstay of India’s batting since making her debut in 2014. The Indian vice-captain is the second highest run-getter in T20 internationals with 56 half-centuries to her name. The 28-year-old from Mumbai led her Bengaluru franchise to their maiden Women’s Premier League title earlier this year and will look to help India do the same in T20 World Cup.

Smriti Mandhana claimed her maiden ICC Player of the Month award for a spectacular showing in June 👌

More ➡ https://t.co/jmp8DAqanM pic.twitter.com/LNSE0ylygI

— ICC (@ICC) July 9, 2024

Beth Mooney: Australia

Opening batter Mooney currently tops the ICC’s T20 batter rankings and is one of the many big-name players in an experienced Australian squad. The 30-year-old, who made her debut for Queensland aged 16, has registered two centuries and 23 fifties in 95 innings for the reigning champions.

Nahida Akter: Bangladesh

Akter is one wicket shy of 100 in T20 internationals with an average of only 16. The left-arm finger spinner has best bowling figures of 5-8 in 87 T20 internationals at only 24 years of age. Akter claimed 2-17 on debut nine years ago as a 15-year-old against Pakistan in Karachi.

Abtaha Maqsood: Scotland

A leg-spinner of great promise, the 25-year-old has already claimed 54 T20 wickets at an average of 15 in 53 matches for Scotland. Maqsood’s contributions could elevate the Scottish team to the next level, especially given the spinner-friendly conditions in the UAE. The dependable spinner could turn this World Cup into a breakthrough international tournament for herself and her country, who are making their T20 World Cup debut.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 30: Abtaha Maqsood of Birmingham Phoenix Women in bowling action during The Hundred match between Southern Brave Women and Birmingham Phoenix Women at The Ageas Bowl on July 30, 2021 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images) — Abtaha Maqsood plays her domestic cricket for Sunrisers and Birmingham Phoenix in the United Kingdom [File: Harry Trump/Getty Images]

Laura Wolvaardt: South Africa

Wolvaardt will seek to captain her side to the final step having been runners-up at the last edition. The 25-year-old has a wealth of experience having made her debut as a 16-year-old in an ODI against England in 2016. The right-handed opening batter is fifth in the T20 rankings, her country’s highest in any discipline, and has one century and 11 fifties in 66 T20 innings for her country.

Sophie Ecclestone: England

Ecclestone is the highest-ranked bowler in both the ICC T20 and ODI rankings. The left-arm finger spinner has made 159 appearances in all formats for England at only 25 years of age and has 126 wickets in 85 T20 internationals at an average of only 14. Having made her debut for her country at 17, Ecclestone had claimed the number one ranking in T20s by the age of 20.

Hayley Matthews: West Indies

The West Indies captain currently enjoys the position of the world’s top all-rounder and is third in the batting rankings. Matthews’ reputation long preceded her international debut at the age of only 16, and at 25 she has already amassed 180 appearances for West Indies and has two centuries and 13 fifties in 96 T20 internationals.