The 2025 Women's World Cup got underway today (September 30), with host nations India and Sri Lanka kicking the tournament off in Guwahati. With over a month of action ahead, here are five players to watch out for.
Kranti Goud – India
Despite having played just seven ODIs before the tournament, Kranti Goud announced herself on the world stage this summer when she took six wickets to bowl India to a thrilling 13-run victory and series win over England at Durham. She also impressed in the recently concluded series against Australia, bagging five wickets before picking up another five across two warm-up matches against England and New Zealand.
Goud is just 22 but with one Women’s Premier League season under her belt, she has already had a taste of high-pressure situations. She gave a reasonable account of herself, taking six wickets for bottom-of-the-table UP Warriorz and catching the attention of the Indian selectors. Goud is a classical ODI seamer, taking the new ball with a strong, rhythmical action and challenging the stumps with her inswing, before returning at the death with pinpoint yorkers.
Darcie Brown – Australia
Also still only 22, Darcie Brown made her debut for Australia in 2021 having been on the books of the Adelaide Strikers since she was 16. Four years ago, she was part of the Australia side which won the last World Cup, but has spent some time out with injuries over the last couple of years. She is unlikely to play every match of this tournament, but Australia legend Meg Lanning has said that her extra pace will likely see her given the nod at more seam-friendly grounds. A previous record-holder for the fastest ball in the Women’s Big Bash League, the South Australian bowls with hostility and possesses a good bouncer. Brown has a stellar record in her six ODIs against India, taking 12 wickets at an average under 20.
Kavisha Dilhari – Sri Lanka
Another who started her ODI career very young, Kavisha Dilhari was just 17 when she made her debut for Sri Lanka in 2018. Since then, the all-rounder has built a steady record, averaging 28 with the bat and 33 with the ball. However, she took 17 wickets in eight ODIs in 2024, the most of any Sri Lanka bowler for the year, averaging 18.00. A tall, fast off-spinner who often gets appreciable drift through the air, her bowling should suit Indian tracks. She impressed in the warm-up vs Bangladesh, finishing with 2-24 from six overs and 63 from 77 balls.
Emma Lamb – England
Lamb forced her way back into the England set-up this year, finishing second in the Professional Cricketer’s Association’s MVP rankings for the 2025 domestic summer, aided by her stunning 142 off 109 in the One-Day Cup – one of her two centuries in the competition. When given the opportunity to fill Heather Knight’s shoes at No.3 against India, she responded with two fifties to secure her place in the World Cup squad despite the former captain returning from injury. Sliding down the order for the warm-ups, Lamb showed her versatility, bludgeoning 84 from 60 against India before notching up 60 from 63 to guide England home against Australia.
Jess Kerr – New Zealand
The most experienced player on this list, with 39 ODI caps to her name, Kerr has taken 52 wickets at a shade un 24 since her debut in 2020. She's had a strong year in ODIs so far in 2025, bagging seven wickets against co-hosts Sri Lanka in March, and is another who has impressed in the warm-ups, bagging two-fers against India and India A. She also finished second on the run-scorer charts of New Zealand's women's Super Smash earlier this year, scoring her 326 runs at a strike-rate of 119.41. Having bolstered her batting credentials alongside her primary skill over the last couple of years, Kerr has now made a space for herself in the lower middle-order.
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