ICC Women World Cup: Top Five Knocks

From Sri Lankan Chamari Atapattu’s terrific counter-attack to Indian Harmanpreet Kaur’s innings of a lifetime, the 2017 ICC women world cup witnessed some memorable batting performances that made the event a huge success.

The rise of India, some high-quality cricket, and nail-biting finishes made the ICC event a breakthrough moment in the history of women cricket.

The top quality batting performances were the highlight of this tournament and they helped in promoting women cricket at the international stage.

Here we relive the five best knocks from the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 that displayed quality and grit.

#5 Lizelle Lee - 92 off 65 balls. vs India, July 8th

Lee was aggressive and unstoppable against India

Against formidable bowling artillery that included Jhulan Goswami, the leading wicket taker in women ODI’s, Lizelle Lee smashed 92 runs off just 65 balls.

The South African opener neutralized the threat of the new ball and gave a blazing start to South Africa’s innings.

Lee scored her first run on the 11th ball she faced courtesy of some tight bowling by India’s opening bowlers. But the shackles were broken in the sixth over when she drove Pandey for a four and on the next ball smashed a six in the same region. She ended the over with another boundary and thus began the carnage.

She smashed Goswami and Bisht for 15 and 16 runs respectively which included three monstrous sixes.

Then she scored two sixes in one over against Sharma to bring up her fifty. The flurry of boundaries continued until the 20th over when Harmanpreet Kaur trapped her leg before.

But by that time the damage had already been done. South Africa had raced to 134 runs in 21 overs with Lee scoring 92 of those runs. It was a calculated assault, one that ensured India could not come back into the game.

#4 Natalie Sciver - 129 runs off 111 balls v New Zealand, July 12

Natalie Sciver: Composed and crackling

With her team tottering at 52 for three down, England's Natalie Sciver produced a scintillating hundred against New Zealand at Derby to push England in the semi-finals of the world cup.

The right-hand batter started slowly and refused the New Zealand bowlers any more wickets. She stitched an important partnership with Tammy Beaumont and added 170 runs for the fourth wicket.

Sciver kept the scoreboard ticking by pushing the ball in the gaps and was brave enough to punish the bad ones. She went berserk in the death overs and smashed Bermingham for two consecutive boundaries. Her big hits reflected her massive power as well as her game awareness.

While looking for another big hit in the 47th over, she handed a simple catch to the mid-wicket fielder. Her brilliance helped the hosts to reach 284 runs which proved more than enough as New Zealand were unfolded for just 204 runs.

#3 Sarah Taylor - 147 runs off 104 balls. Vs South Africa, July 5

Brutal and beautiful: Taylor, the tormentor, against South Africa

Sarah Taylor, a crucial cog in England’s women cricket team, exhibited her batting skills at Bristol by amassing 147 runs from just 104 balls against South Africa.

The English wicket-keeper took complete advantage of the flat surface and blasted 24 fours in her innings. She was in control of the drives and cuts and at the same time made creative use of reverse sweeps and paddle sweeps.

The South African bowlers looked toothless on the flat surface and Taylor punished them for every mistake. Tammy Beaumont gave able company to the English wicket-keeper as the two added 275 runs for the third wicket.

Taylor’s dominance in the game was reflected when she took on the fastest South African bowler Shabnim Ismail in the 40th over.

After flicking the first ball for a boundary, Taylor walked across, exposing all her stumps and fetched the next two balls from outside off stump for consecutive fours. A flick behind square and a nonchalant pull followed to make it five fours in five balls.

Taylor’s magnificent innings enabled England to pile up 373 runs, the highest team score in the 2017 World Cup.

#2 Chamari Atapattu - 178 runs off 143 balls. Vs Australia, June 29

Chamari Atapattu: The One Woman Army

The world champions Australia took on a struggling Sri Lanka at Bristol on 29th June. Until the 34th over, the game looked a cakewalk for Australia as they had reduced Sri Lanka to 130 for six. But then Chamari Atapattu happened.

The left-hand batter launched a counterattack against what is arguably the best bowling unit in women cricket and shattered every bowler. She scored her hundred off 106 balls and then trashed Gardner for 12 runs and Bolton for 11 runs in an over.

The best display of her batting came in the 46th over. She launched Schutt for a massive six over the sight screen and one ball later smashed a four down the ground. On the next ball, a thick edge produced a boundary and the over ended with 15 runs.

The Sri Lankan batter drilled two consecutive sixes against Beams to help Sri Lank reach 250 and stayed not out till the end of 50 overs to score178 runs off just 143 balls. The second highest score in the team was 24 runs. Atapattu scored 69.26% of all runs scored by Sri Lanka, a record in women cricket and also smashed 124 boundary runs, another record.

With no support from the other end and playing against a quality bowling attack, Atapattu produced one of the finest innings in international cricket. There was power, patience, and incredible skills that single handedly demolished Australia.

However, the score of 257 proved inadequate, as Australia completed the chase in the 43rd over.

#1 Harmanpreet Kaur- 171 runs off 115 balls. Vs Australia, July 20

The Harmanpreet hurricane that destroyed Australia

Every player dreams about playing one innings that will shock the world and make them immortal. Harmanpreet Kaur’s knock on 20th July at Derby was one such dream innings that will be talked about for years to come and will be remembered as one of the best innings in international cricket.

And the Indian batter selected the best occasion to construct this dream inning. It was the World Cup semi-final, and India was facing the defending champions Australia.

Australia was in complete control of the game until the 25th over, with India struggling at 101 for 3. But then Kaur, who was batting quietly till then, exploded and completely shattered Australia.

It was the free-hit in the 27th over that allowed Kaur to launch her attack. The free-hit ball sailed over long-on and screamed the arrival of Kaur. In the 34th over Jonassen was smashed for a four and six and Gardner was ruthlessly mascaraed as she went for 23 in one over.

Two back to back sixes on the leg side were followed by two fours in the cover region and Gardner's over costed 23 runs. One over later, Villani was trashed for two fours and one six to make it a 19 run over.

The last two overs produced 32 runs as Kaur became unstoppable. Jonassen was sent for two consecutive sixes and Schutt was nonchalantly slashed over point for a four. The hitting was brutal, the timing precise and the concentration immense.

During her last 40 balls, she blasted 103 runs at a strike rate of 257.50 including 19 hits to the boundary.

Courtesy of this unbelievable hitting from Kaur, India won the game by 36 runs as the target of 282 was beyond Australia's reach.