Sophie Ecclestone is named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year, becoming the first English woman since Tammy Beaumont in 2019 to receive the honour.
The Wisden awards, selected by the editor and rooted in tradition since 1889, recognize standout performers from the previous English summer, with no player eligible to win more than once. Ecclestone’s inclusion comes after a standout year in which she remained a bright spark in an otherwise turbulent season for England’s women’s team.
While England dominated their home summer with series wins over Pakistan and New Zealand, the year ended on a disappointing note with a group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup and a heavy Ashes defeat that led to the removal of head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight.
At 25, the left-arm spinner remains the world’s number one ranked bowler in both white-ball formats. During the home series against Pakistan, she surpassed Katherine Sciver-Brunt to become England Women’s leading T20I wicket-taker.
Her career has been on a consistent upward trajectory since being named ICC Emerging Player of the Year in 2018. She rose to the top of the WT20I bowling rankings in 2020 and was later named ICC Women’s Player of the Month in July 2021 for her performances in June that year.
In 2024, Ecclestone maintained her elite standards. She featured in just one Test, against South Africa, where she took three wickets across both innings. Her T20I form remained strong—she played 17 matches and claimed 24 wickets, including a best of 4 for 25 against New Zealand.
In fact, she played seven matches against the reigning T20 World Cup champions, New Zealand, and took 12 wickets. Her most dominant displays came in ODIs, where she took 21 wickets in just 11 matches, with her best figures of 5 for 25 also coming against New Zealand.
Across her career, Ecclestone has taken 32 wickets in seven Tests, with a best of 5 for 63 and one ten-wicket match haul. In ODIs, she has bagged 92 wickets in 58 games at an average of 21.40, with best figures of 6 for 36. In T20Is, she has claimed 109 wickets in 76 matches at an incredible average of 15.00, with best figures of 4 for 18.
A consistent match-winner and a leader of England’s bowling attack, Ecclestone’s 2024 performances have only further cemented her status as one of the premier bowlers in world cricket.
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