Ellyse Perry to Shafali Verma: Five players to watch at the women's cricket World Cup

women's cricket World Cup begins on Friday in New Zealand after a year's delay because of the pandemic and with Australia favourites to lift the trophy. Here's a look at five players to watch when the 50-over extravaganza gets underway: Ellyse Perry's status as one of the game's greats is already secure, but the all-rounder has a point to prove in New Zealand after her shock axing from Australia's Twenty20 squad.

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)The 31-year-old has rewritten the record books since her debut in 2007, claiming five T20 World Championships, one Cricket World Cup in 2013 and numerous domestic honours. She's also been named World Player of the Year three times and World Player of the Decade 2011-2020 in both ODI and T20 formats. Yet selectors turned to a crop of emerging all-rounders for January's T20 series against England and Perry will be keen to use the ODI showcase to prove she is far from a spent force. The host nation has renowned power hitters in Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, but Amelia Kerris the White Ferns' form player heading into the World Cup.

( Photo by James Allan/Getty Images)Kerr was barely 16 when she made her international debut and expectations soared when she blasted an unbeaten 232 against Ireland in 2018, still the highest-ever women's ODI score. She took a break from cricket last year, revealing "bubble" life on the road during the pandemic had affected her mental health. The 21-year-old has returned refreshed and is playing the best cricket of her life, scoring 353 runs at an average of 117.7 in a player-of-the-series performance against India. "Now we really are seeing what she is capable of... in the women's game, she's probably the best player we've ever had," former New