Four of the tournament's standout performers — Smriti Mandhana (India), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (England), and Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) — have been shortlisted for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament award. The winner will be revealed after Sunday's final between England and Australia at Lord's, Dubai. The four nominees collectively represent the competition's most impactful individual campaigns, spanning batting firepower, all-round excellence, and match-winning consistency.

Ellyse Perry: Australia's Unbeaten Talisman

Veteran all-rounder Ellyse Perry has been central to Australia's unbeaten march to the final, amassing 185 runs at an average of 46.25 alongside four wickets at a miserly average of 7.50. The 35-year-old claimed three Player of the Match awards during the tournament — beginning with an all-round display against Bangladesh, where she took two wickets and finished unbeaten on 19.

Perry then produced back-to-back half-centuries against Pakistan and India, helping Australia maintain a perfect record through the group stage and into the knockout rounds. Her combination of runs and wickets at this level of the game remains virtually unmatched in women's cricket.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge: Tournament's Leading Run-Scorer

England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge enters the final as the competition's top run-getter, having accumulated 294 runs at a remarkable average of 73.5 and a strike rate of 152.33. Her campaign launched with a century against Sri Lanka in England's opening fixture, and she followed that with two further half-centuries to drive the hosts into the title decider.

Wyatt-Hodge's ability to provide explosive starts at the top of the order has been a defining feature of England's batting in this tournament, giving the middle order the platform to accelerate.

Smriti Mandhana: Lone Nominee From a Team That Bowed Out

India's Smriti Mandhana is the only nominee whose side did not advance to the semi-finals, making her recognition all the more notable. The left-handed opener scored 205 runs at an average of 41, including consecutive fifties against Pakistan and the Netherlands to give India a strong start to their campaign.

Mandhana also contributed a fluent 38 against Australia in a must-win final group-stage fixture, though India ultimately fell short of securing a knockout berth. Her consistent output in a team that struggled collectively underscores her individual class.

Marizanne Kapp: South Africa's Match-Winner With Bat and Ball

South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp rounds out the shortlist after delivering a series of decisive contributions during the Proteas' run to the semi-finals. She scored 124 runs at an average of 31 and claimed eight wickets at 14.37 — taking at least one wicket in every match except South Africa's group-stage encounter against the Netherlands.

Kapp's most defining moment came against India, where she first claimed two wickets with the ball before steering South Africa's chase with an unbeaten 81, keeping her side's knockout ambitions alive. Her all-round reliability made her arguably the most complete performer of the tournament outside the two finalists.

What Happens Next

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final between England and Australia takes place at Lord's on Sunday, after which the Player of the Tournament will be formally announced. With Perry and Wyatt-Hodge both involved in the decider, the award race could well be settled by Sunday's performance — though Kapp and Mandhana's campaigns across the full tournament give them a strong case regardless of the final outcome.