Who to look out for...
Key player: Allrounder and global superstar Perry has already been a central part of four victorious major tournament campaigns – can Wisden’s Leading Female Cricketer in the World make it five?
Squad: Sarah Aley, Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy †, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning*, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Key player: Tammy Beaumont had an amazing 2016, with back-to-back centuries against Pakistan – but can she replicate that form against the world’s top teams?
Squad: Heather Knight*, Tammy Beaumont †, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Beth Langston, Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor †, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.
Key player: Ekta Bisht is an unerringly accurate left-arm spinner. One of several female spinners not averse to bowling in a cap, Sonny Ramadhin style, she took 4 for 21 on a turning pitch against England in the last World T20. Bisht, from a sleepy hill-town, began playing cricket in the boys’ team at her local university.
Squad: Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Mansi Joshi, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Mona Meshram, Shikha Pandey, Nuzhat Parween †, Mithali Raj*, Poonam Raut, Deepti Sharma, Sushma Verma †, Poonam Yadav.
Key player: Captain and opening batsman Suzie Bates will be looking to lead her team from the front and replicate her success at the last World Cup in 2013, when she was player of the tournament.
Squad: Suzie Bates*, Erin Bermingham, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin †, Thamsyn Newton, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Rachel Priest †, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu.
Key player: Bismah Maroof, 26, had an impressive 2016. She is now T20 captain, after Sana Mir stepped down following the last World T20. Maroof topped both the ODI and T20 batting charts for Pakistan last year.
Squad: Asmavia Iqbal, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Ghulam Fatima, Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Marina Iqbal, Nahida Khan, Nain Abidi, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Yousuf, Sana Mir*, Sidra Nawaz †, Waheeda Akhtar.
Key player: Marizanne Kapp, 27, is one of the world’s most dynamic fast bowlers, and has the ability to punish sides with the bat. She currently sits top of the Women’s ODI bowling rankings, and has an century against Pakistan to her name. Experience of English conditions in the inaugural Kia Super League should hold her in good stead, and she has led the Sydney Sixers’ attack in the Big Bash.
Squad: Trisha Chetty †, Moseline Daniels, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Shabnim Ismail, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Raisibe Ntozhake, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk*, Laura Wolfvaardt.
Key player: Sripali Weerakkody, 31, is a good all-round athlete, taking wickets at pivotal moments in the Qualifier. She first burst onto the scene in 2006 against Pakistan, taking 1 for 16, and currently has 42 wickets.
Squad: Athapaththu, Chandima Gunaratne, Nipuni Hansika, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Ama Kanchana, Harshitha Madhavi, Dilani Manodara, Hasini Perera, Chamari Polgampola, Udeshika Prabodani, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera*, Shashikala Siriwardene, Prasadani Weerakkody †, Sripali Weerakkody
Key player: Hayley Matthews, still only 19, is the one to watch after her matchwinning performance in last year’s World Twenty20 final.
Squad: Merissa Aguilleira †, Reniece Boyce †, Shamilia Connell, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Akeira Peters, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor*, Felicia Walters.
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