Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Youngest Players To Watch Out For

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 commenced on October 3, 2024 and teams are battling out for the coveted silverware. 

While several stalwarts will play for the glory on the back of their experience, there are a handful of young talents itching to make their mark in this global tournament. 

Let us have a look at five youngest players to watch out for in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

1. Shashini Gimhani (Sri Lanka) 

Born on December 9, 2008, Gimhani is a right-handed batter and left-arm wrist spinner. Before this edition of the world cup, she appeared only in five T20Is in women’s international cricket and has picked 6 wickets with best figures of 3/6. Gimhani had made her Sri Lanka international T20I debut against Uganda women in Abu Dhabi. She could well be one of the breakout stars of the tournament. 

2. Shorna Akter (Bangladesh)

Shorna Akter is a 17-year-old Bangladeshi all-rounder, who has impressed with both the bat and the ball. Akhter made her debut for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka on February 12. She has featured in 25 T20Is, scoring 248 runs and taking 13 wickets in the run-up to the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. She does have a fifer to her name as well. The right-handed batter and leg-break bowler will be one to watch out for on the slow wickets in Dubai and Sharjah which are also spin-friendly.

3. Vishmi Gunaratne (Sri Lanka) 

Vishmi Gunaratne made her T20I debut for Sri Lanka against Scotland on January 18, 2022, She has played 43 T20Is for Sri Lanka before the start of this world cup and has scored 720 runs at an average of 20.57 and a strike rate of 92.30. She is one of the youngest players to watch out for as she has shown both composure and attacking mindset for Sri Lanka, depending on the situation.

4. Darcey Carter (Scotland) 

Darcey Carter, 19, is a right-handed batter and off-break bowler who made her T20I debut for Scotland against Thailand on July 10, 2023. As someone who has delivered under pressure, she has featured in 16 T20I matches before the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 and scored 335 runs with a best score of an unbeaten 64. She has a total of two fifties to her credit. Carter also has 15 wickets to her name, with a best of 3/11.  

Also Read: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Top 5 Run-Scorers In The History

5. Katherine Fraser (Scotland) 

Fraser, the 19-year-old all-rounder, served as Scotland women’s captain at the inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in January 2023.  She made her senior team debut in 2019 against Germany. She entered the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 having played 37 T20Is for Scotland, taking 41 wickets with best bowling of 4/19 and economy of 5.15. She has also scored 64 runs with the bat. She is one of the youngest players in the tournament with a very promising future.