There was no World Cup, but the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 meant that there were enough ODIs in 2024. The Wisden.com editorial team has picked the best women’s ODI spells of 2024 here.
No.10 Renuka Singh Thakur 9.5-0-29-4 v West Indies, Vadodara, December 27
It is not every day that your teammate takes 6-31 but yours is the more devastating spell. Thakur struck twice in the first over – and that included breaching Hayley Matthews’s defence. Another wicket in her third over left the tourists reeling at 9-3. The West Indies had staged a recovery of some sorts when Deepti Sharma began to strike, though Thakur did get a fourth.
No.9 Megan Schutt 5-4-1-1 v South Africa, Adelaide, February 3
Parsimony does not go hand in hand with celebrations, but Schutt was determined to not concede runs in her 200th ODI. Laura Wolvaardt got a run off her fourth ball, but Schutt hit back with 26 dots on the trot. That included Wolvaardt’s wicket – to an expansive stroke off her only loose ball of the day. Caught by surprise? Perhaps. There was no scope for a second spell as South Africa folded inside 32 overs.
