Legendary former cricket player Cathryn Fitzpatrick helped the Australian women’s team to secure both the 1997 and 2005 ICC Cricket World Cup. And now, she is widely dubbed as the greatest female bowler the cricketing world has ever seen. Retired Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami and former Australian star cricketer Lisa Sthalekar also deserve their mentions among the greatest female bowlers of all time.
Cricket is a sport that is largely popular in many countries around the world. One of the major parts of this sport is bowling, the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket as the batsman tries to defend it.
In women’s cricket, as well, there are some excellent bowlers. Whatever the speed and style, these bowlers have played their part in making women’s cricket worth watching. Let’s take a look at the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
Greatest Female Bowlers Of All Time – 2024 Updates
Content Summery
There are different styles that are used by bowlers. Each and every delivery by the bowler is important, as, with various techniques, a bowler can absolutely control the batsman’s actions, especially if the one with the bat is an inexperienced one. Some of the greatest cricketers of all time are bowlers who have contributed to creating historic moments in cricket.
10. Nooshin Al Khadeer
A former member of India’s national female cricket team Nooshin Al Khadeer was ranked ICC world number 1 in 2003. She is widely regarded as one of the best right-handed off-spin bowlers.
Nooshin took 14 wickets in 9 innings out of 5 international test matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 3/30 in an inning and best performance in a single test match of 4/74 in her test career between 2003 and 2006.
She has a test bowling average of 26.64 with an economy rate of 1.80. Nooshin, in her ODI career from 2002 to 2012, bagged 100 wickets out of 78 ODIs she contested and achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/14.
She achieved an ODI bowling average of 24.02 with a 3.57 economy rate and took 4 wickets four times and 5 wickets once in limited-over international matches. Nooshin now deserves the tenth place in our list of the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
9. Isa Guha
Former England female cricketer of Kolkata-Bengali descent Isa Tara Guha played in the 2005 Women’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa for the English female team. She was named BBC Asian Network Sports Personality of the Year in 2002.
Isa Guha took 29 wickets in 15 innings out of 8 international test matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 5/40 in an inning and best performance in a single test match of 9/100 in her test career between 2002 and 2011.
She has a test bowling average of 18.93 with an economy rate of 2.20, and she also achieved 4 wickets twice and 5 wickets once. Isa, in her ODI career from 2001 to 2011, bagged 101 wickets out of 83 ODIs she contested and achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/14.
She achieved an ODI bowling average of 23.21 with a 3.73 economy rate and took 4 wickets twice and also 5 wickets twice in limited-over international matches. Guha surely deserves the ninth place in our list of the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
8. Clare Taylor
Retired English female cricketer Clare Elizabeth Taylor is the first woman to participate in a World Cup team in both cricket and football. She was a member of the World Cup cricket team in 1993 and the World Cup football team in 1995.
Taylor took 25 wickets in 24 innings out of 16 international test matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 4/38 in an inning and best performance in a single test match of 5/95 in her test career between 1995 and 2003.
She has a test bowling average of 40.44 with an economy rate of 2.54 and also achieved 4 wickets twice. Taylor, in her ODI career from 1988 to 2005, bagged 102 wickets out of 105 ODIs she contested and achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 4/13.
She achieved an ODI bowling average of 23.95 with a 2.85 economy rate and took 4 wickets twice in limited-over international matches. Taylor surely deserves her place among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
7. Stafanie Taylor
Member of the current West Indies women’s cricket team Stafanie Roxann Taylor was named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2011. She is noted for scoring her highest Twenty20 total on her debut.
Stafanie took 130 wickets in 111 ODIs out of 111 international limited-over matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 4/17 in a single ODI match in her limited-over career between 2008 and 2019. She has an ODI bowling average of 19.44 with an economy rate of 3.05, and she also achieved 4 wickets five times.
Stefanie, in her Twenty20 career from 2008 to 2019, bagged 68 wickets out of 84 international T20s she contested and achieved her best Twenty20 bowling performance of 3/10.
She achieved her bowling average of 16.07 with a 5.35 economy rate in international Twenty20 matches. Fans now often dubbed Taylor one of the best women’s cricketers of all time. She surely deserves her place among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
6. Jenny Gunn
Member of the current England women’s national team Jennifer Louise Gunn is a superior medium-pace bowler and lower-middle-order batsman. She was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2014 Birthday Honors.
Jenny took 29 wickets in 21 innings out of 11 international test matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 5/19 in an inning and best performance in a single test match of 5/59 in her test career between 2004 and 2014. She has a test bowling average of 22.24 with an economy rate of 1.76, and she also achieved 5 wickets once.
Jenny, in her ODI career from 2004 to 2019, bagged 128 wickets out of 139 ODIs she contested and achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/22.
She achieved an ODI bowling average of 28.19 with a 3.75 economy rate and took 4 wickets thrice and 5 wickets twice in limited-over international matches. Gunn surely deserves the sixth place in our list of the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
5. Anisa Mohammed
A current member of the West Indies women’s cricket team, Anisa Mohammed is the highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals. She also played Trinidad and Tobago women’s team in first-class cricket besides her international appearances.
Anisa took 145 wickets in 111 ODIs out of 111 international limited-over matches she participated in and achieved her best bowling performance of 7/14 in a single ODI match in her limited-over career between 2003 and 2019. She has an ODI bowling average of 19.07 with an economy rate of 3.27, and she also achieved 4 wickets six times and 5 wickets five times.
Mohammed, in her Twenty20 career from 2008 to 2019, bagged 106 wickets out of 92 international T20s she contested and achieved her best Twenty20 bowling performance of 5/10.
She achieved her T20 bowling average of 15.80 with a 5.34 economy rate and took 4 wickets four times and 5 wickets twice in international Twenty20 matches. Anisa now holds her place among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
4. Neetu David
The former member of the Indian national women’s cricket team Neetu David has the best innings bowling performance in women’s Test matches. She was primarily known as a superior left-arm spinner. Neetu took 41 wickets in 16 innings out of 10 international test matches she participated in.
She achieved her best bowling performance of 8/53 in an inning. David has her best performance in a single test match of 9/90 in her test career between 1995 and 2006. She has a test bowling average of 18.90 with an economy rate of 1.74. She also achieved 4 wickets thrice and 5 wickets once.
Neetu, in her ODI career from 1995 to 2008, bagged 141 wickets out of 97 ODIs she contested and achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/20.
She achieved an ODI bowling average of 16.34 with a 2.82 economy rate and took 4 wickets four times and 5 wickets twice in limited-over international matches. David now holds her place among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
3. Lisa Sthalekar
Former Indian-born Australian female international cricketer Lisa Carprini Sthalekar was widely regarded as the leading all-rounder in women’s cricket. She is the first female cricketer to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in limited-over matches. Sthalekar took 23 wickets in 16 innings out of 8 international test matches she participated in.
She achieved her best bowling performance of 5/30 in an inning. Lisa has her best performance in a single test match of 6/114 in her career between 2003 and 2011. She has a test bowling average of 20.95 with an economy rate of 1.65, and she also achieved 5 wickets once.
Sthalekar, in her ODI career from 2001 to 2013, bagged 146 wickets out of 125 ODIs she contested. She achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/35. Lisa achieved an ODI bowling average of 24.97 with a 3.66 economy rate.
She also took 4 wickets and 5 wickets once each in limited-over international matches. She now deserves her mention among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
2. Jhulan Goswami
Indian female cricketer Jhulan Goswami became the fastest bowler in women’s cricket after the retirement of Cathryn Fitzpatrick. She was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2007.
Goswami took 40 wickets in 18 innings out of 10 international test matches she participated in. She also achieved her best bowling performance of 5/25 in an inning. Besides, she has her best performance in a single test match of 10/78 in her test career between 2002 and 2015. She has a test bowling average of 16.62 with an economy rate of 2.02. Goswami also achieved 4 wickets twice and 5 wickets thrice.
Goswami, in her ODI career from 2002 to 2019, bagged 218 wickets out of 177 ODIs she contested. She achieved her best ODI bowling performance on 6/31. She also achieved an ODI bowling average of 21.34 with a 3.19 economy rate.
Goswami took 4 wickets four times and 5 wickets twice in limited-over international matches. Goswami now holds second place in our list of the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
1. Cathryn Fitzpatrick
Former Australian female cricketer Cathryn Lorraine Fitzpatrick is widely regarded as the fastest women’s pace bowler in the world. She was a pioneer member of the World Cup-winning Australian team in 1997 and 2005. Cathryn took 60 wickets in 24 innings out of 13 international test matches. She also achieved her best bowling performance of 5/29 in an inning.
She made her best performance in a single test match of 9/112 in her test career between 1991 and 2006. Cathryn has a Test bowling average of 19.11 with an economy rate of 1.91. Besides, she also achieved 4 wickets six times and 5 wickets twice.
Cathryn, in her ODI career from 1993 to 2007, bagged 180 wickets out of 109 ODIs she contested. Besides, she also achieved her best ODI bowling performance of 5/14. She achieved an ODI bowling average of 16.79 with a 3.01 economy rate.
Cathryn took 4 wickets seven times and 5 wickets four times in limited-over international matches. She now surely deserves her place among the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
Conclusion
Female cricketers have made an enormous contribution to women’s cricket. They have displayed excellent skills and understanding of the sport and, hopefully, will continue to do so in the future.
These female bowlers have proven themselves time and again through performances that have exuded thrill and excitement at par with male cricket. And we now hope that you liked our list of the top 10 greatest female bowlers of all time.
Greatest Female Bowlers Of All Time – Infographics
FAQs Regarding Greatest Female Bowlers
Q. Who is the best female bowler of all time?
Women’s professional titles are held by Lisa Wagner, who won 32, including major titles at the 1988 U.S. She won multiple titles in seven consecutive seasons (1983-1990) and was named BWAA Bowler of the Year four times.
Q. Who hit the biggest six in women’s cricket?
At number 6, Rachel Heyhoe-Flint scored 36 runs during the first innings. Likewise, her effort in the second innings resulted in 37 runs. As the first women’s cricketer to hit a six in a Test match, Rachel achieved a special milestone in this match.
Q. What is a female batsman called?
There is sometimes a term for the batswoman in women’s cricket, as well as the batsman, but both the male and female forms are widely used. It is more common for women to refer to themselves as batswomen.
Q. Who is the God of IPL?
IPL legend Virat Kohli is widely known as the God of the game. With 6076 runs in 199 matches, he is the most prolific IPL run-scorer. Kohli is the first Indian League batsman to score more than 900 runs in a single season.
Last Updated On: December 2024