Whether it is seismic totals with the bat or taking match-winning wickets with the ball, the ICC U19 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2025 is guaranteed to offer a preview of the most exciting prospects in international cricket.
Malaysia will provide the perfect stage for new talent to emerge and heroes to be made, with 16 teams, each with their own stars, set to take to the field.
Find out which five prospects you should be focusing a particularly keen eye on when the tournament gets underway on 18 January.
MAGGIE CLARK (AUSTRALIA)
At just 17 years old, the medium pace bowler will return for her second appearance at the tournament, having been Australia’s youngest squad member in 2023.
Despite her age, Clark was the leading wicket taker at the last U19 T20 World Cup having dismissed 12 batters in South Africa.
This time round she will bring additional experience after representing Adelaide Strikers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in 2024, where she joined a bowling attack that featured names like Megan Schutt, Tahlia McGrath and Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Having taken two for 13 on her Strikers debut in the T20 Spring Challenge, Clark has given all indication that she will be gunning to better her superlative total of 12 wickets this time out.
PUJA MAHATO (NEPAL)
Puja has captained Nepal to their first ever U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, delivering some glittering individual performances along the way.
The allrounder scored 130 not out off 69 balls during qualification against Kuwait, becoming only the second Nepali woman to score a century in an international match.
Puja played a significant role in the defence of Nepal Women’s U19s record total of 213, as she took five for eight.
Nepal will certainly be looking to their captain to lead from the front once more in Malaysia.
JEMIMA SPENCE (ENGLAND)
A non-travelling reserve for England in 2023, Spence has had to wait for her opportunity to shine at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 and for a time even selection this year did not look likely.
The South East Stars batter and wicketkeeper spent a considerable chunk of 2024 on the sidelines recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
But, having made her debut for the Surrey club in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy (RHFT) at just 16, she has already shown her indisputable promise.
In the same year, she top-scored in the RHFT play-off against Southern Vipers, plundering 45 not out.
She was a consistent starter for the Stars throughout 2023, even opening in her final two matches in a batting line-up featuring Alice Capsey and Alice Davidson-Richards, and will hope to return to form in Malaysia.
RITU SINGH (USA)
Singh returns for her second appearance at the tournament after featuring at the inaugural competition when she was just 16.
In the USA’s opening match in 2023, the allrounder top-scored for the USA from sixth in the order, hitting 22 runs against Sri Lanka.
Singh has also recently featured for USA’s senior team, boasting the second-best economy as she took two for 37 from 10 overs in their ODI against Zimbabwe.
While cricket’s newcomers struggled in 2023, Singh will hope to be at the forefront as the USA aim to demonstrate their ambitions on the world stage.
G KAMALINI (INDIA)
Kamalini has already been subject to a bidding war for her services in the upcoming WPL.
The wicketkeeper-batter is set to represent 2023 champions Mumbai Indians alongside Harmanpreet Kaur, Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver-Brunt in 2025 at just 16 years old.
In the U19 Women’s T20 Asia Cup in December, Kamalini delivered a match-winning display at the crease as she opened against Pakistan and scored 44 not out off 29 balls.
She hit four fours and three sixes on the way to the total in a player of the match display.
Having already impressed Mumbai Indians’ coach Charlotte Edwards, she will be out to wow the world as a key member of an India team out to defend their title.