10 Best Fielders In Women's Cricket History (2026 Updated List)

In cricket, there are batters, bowlers, and fielders. Fielders don’t get statistics like runs or wickets, but they take catches.

In cricket, there are batters, bowlers, and fielders. Fielders don’t get statistics like runs or wickets, but they take catches. Catches win matches. Dropped catches lose matches. The best fielders take catches that others can’t. They anticipate where the ball will go. They position themselves correctly. They move quickly. They have sure hands. When matches are on the line, they hold onto catches even under pressure.

Ten women have proven themselves to be among the best fielders in international cricket history through the catches they have taken. These are not wicketkeepers. Wicketkeepers wear gloves and stand behind the stumps and have different advantages. These are pure fielders who stand at slip or point or in the outfield or wherever the captain needs them. They have taken more catches than anyone else. The numbers prove it. Their careers prove it. The matches won because of their fielding prove it.

1. Suzie Bates: The Record Holder

Suzie Bates is from New Zealand. Her international career spans from 2006 to 2026, and she is still active. She holds the record for the most catches by a fielder in women’s ODI history, with 92 catches in 178 matches. She also holds the record for the most catches in women’s T20I history, with 93 catches. Furthermore, she holds the record for the most career catches in Women’s Cricket World Cup history, with 19 catches.

These statistics are statistically far ahead of anyone else in both formats. No other fielder comes close to her in any category. Catching at the highest level of international cricket for twenty years requires exceptional consistency. The fitness, reflexes, and concentration needed for fielding, which tend to decline with age, have all been maintained by Bates.

She is truly a benchmark for all time. Future fielders’ performances will be measured against her totals. Breaking her records will require an extraordinary career spanning many years.

2. Nat Sciver-Brunt: The Modern Elite

Nat Sciver-Brunt is from England. Her international career spans from 2013 to 2026, and she is still active. She is second in the history of women’s international cricket for the most catches taken in T20Is, with a total of seventy-two. She has also taken over fifty ODI catches.

She is one of the finest fielders of the modern era, having taken spectacular catches in both formats. Taking catches consistently for thirteen years in international cricket is a remarkable achievement. Her fielding complements her batting and bowling. She is a complete cricketer who contributes in all three departments. But her catching stands out. Seventy-two T20I catches demonstrate years of safe hands, excellent positioning, and athletic movement.

Today’s T20 cricket is faster than ever before. Batsmen hit harder. The ball travels faster. Reaction times need to be quicker. Sciver-Brunt handles all of this with ease.

3. Jhulan Goswami: The Long Career

Jhulan Goswami is from India. Her international career spanned twenty years, from 2002 to 2022. She is second on the list of non-wicketkeepers with the most ODI catches, having taken 69. She also took eighteen catches in Women’s World Cups.

She was primarily a bowler, a fast bowler. But over such a long career, she was also an excellent fielder. Bowlers often field in positions where there aren’t many opportunities to take catches. Goswami found ways to contribute. 69 ODI catches over twenty years demonstrate that her hands were consistently reliable, match after match.

Her record of eighteen catches in World Cups was accumulated across multiple tournaments. There is extra pressure in World Cups. Dropped catches in World Cups are remembered. Catches taken in World Cups win crucial matches. Goswami took those catches.

4. Harmanpreet Kaur: The All-Format Contributor

Harmanpreet Kaur is from India. Her international career spans from 2009 to 2026. She is still active. She has approximately sixty ODI catches and is one of the top T20I fielders with sixty-eight catches.

Her overall record in both formats is exceptional. Seventeen years of elite-level fielding in international cricket. She is also a captain and a key batter. Her fielding adds another dimension to her value. Teams need players who contribute in all aspects of the game, and Kaur does exactly that.

Sixty-eight T20I catches place her third on the all-time list in that format. This format is newer than ODIs, so fewer matches have been played. Reaching sixty-eight catches in T20Is demonstrates that she fields in regular catching positions and holds onto almost every catch that comes her way.

5. Ellyse Perry: The Complete Athlete

Ellyse Perry is from Australia. Her international career spans from 2007 to 2026. She is still active. She has approximately fifty-six ODI catches and approximately forty-seven T20I catches.

Since her debut in July 2007, her career has lasted nearly two decades. She consistently performs well in ODIs, T20Is, and Tests, and her total number of catches across all formats is impressive. She is one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history. She bats. She bowls. She is a brilliant fielder.

Her fielding showcases her athleticism. She runs quickly on the field. She dives to take catches that others might not even attempt. And she holds onto them. Over a hundred catches across all formats are a testament to her consistent excellence.

6. Amy Satterthwaite: The ODI Specialist

Amy Satterthwaite is from New Zealand. Her international career spanned fifteen years, from 2007 to 2022. She took approximately fifty-seven ODI catches. She also took eight catches in a single World Cup tournament.

Taking eight catches in one World Cup is a testament to her exceptional fielding. This is a remarkable total in her ODI career. She had a consistent and long presence in international cricket. Satterthwaite was a key middle-order batter, but her fielding added immense value to the team.

Fifty-seven ODI catches over fifteen years means an average of roughly four catches per year. That kind of consistency is what matters.

7. Dane van Niekerk: The South African Leader

Dane van Niekerk is from South Africa. Her international career spanned from 2009 to 2021, and she attempted a comeback in 2025. She has nearly fifty-six ODI catches to her name and also made significant contributions as an all-rounder.

Throughout her career, her fielding statistics in ODIs have been impressive. She officially retired in 2023, after which she attempted a comeback. Fifty-six catches demonstrate her consistent and reliable fielding over the years. She was also a captain and an all-rounder. Captaincy often involves fielding in crucial positions where catches are frequently taken.

8. Jenny Gunn: The T20 Pioneer

Jenny Gunn is from England. Her international career spanned from approximately 2004 to 2019 – fifteen years. She has over 58 T20I catches to her name. She was the first cricketer, male or female, to play 100 T20I matches.

Being the first player to reach 100 T20I matches means she played in this format for longer than almost any other player. Her 58 T20I catches are a testament to her longevity and excellent fielding. She is one of the best T20I fielders in history. When she started playing, this format was relatively new. She helped set the standards for fielding in T20 cricket.