Sophie Ecclestone

A slow left-arm spinner, Sophie Ecclestone has made the world fall at her feet ever since she bursted into the international scene in 2016.

Born in Chester, Ecclestone was fast-tracked from a very young age and was roped in by Lancashire for the 2015 Women’s County Championship. 

The following year she impressed for the England Academy in the tri-series involving Sri Lanka A and Australia Shooting Stars. She impressed everyone with her spin bowling, picking up 16 wickets in the tournament, including a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka A.

Such impressive performances attracted the interest of the national selectors and Ecclestone was called up to the England squad for the T20I series against Pakistan in 2016. She made her T20I debut in the first T20I at Bristol and picked up a solitary wicket in the match.

She was in and out of the side for the next 18 months, but was recalled in the national team for the 2017/18 Ashes against the Aussies. She made her Test debut in the one-off Ashes Test match and picked up 3 wickets in the match.

After a standout season for Lancashire Thunders in the 2017/18 Kia Super League season, Ecclestone was added to the England squad for the 2018 Women’s World T20 in West Indies. She was the most economical bowler for England in the tournament, conceding runs at just over 5 runs per over.

The following year she earned a central contract from the England Cricket Board and in the same year ICC named her with the Emerging Player of the Year for 2018.

The left-arm spinner was drafted in the England squad for the 2020 Women’s World Cup. Ecclestone was the star with the bowl for England, scalping 8 wickets in four matches.

At the end of the 2020 World Cup, she became the world’s number one bowler in Women’s T20 International.

A star in the making for England, Ecclestone has achieved a lot in the past 5 years. Her performances especially in the shortest format of the game has garnered her praise from the cricketing fraternities around the world. 

(As of April 21)