Women's Cricket Records and Milestones Explained

Landmark milestones in women's cricket: the first Test and World Cup, famous individual scores like Belinda Clark's 229 not out, and the players who reached career milestones.

Women's cricket records include the first Test in 1934, the first World Cup in 1973, Belinda Clark's 229 not out in an ODI and Kiran Baluch's 242 in a Test. Records can be broken, so check the ICC for current figures.

Firsts in the women's game

The first women's Test match was played between Australia and England in Brisbane in December 1934. The first Women's Cricket World Cup was played in 1973, and the first Women's T20 World Cup in 2009.

Famous individual scores

Belinda Clark of Australia scored 229 not out against Denmark in the 1997 Women's World Cup, the highest individual score in a women's ODI, and the first double century in any ODI by a man or woman.

Kiran Baluch of Pakistan made 242 against the West Indies in a Test at Karachi in 2004, the highest individual score in women's Tests.

Career milestones

India's Mithali Raj became the first woman to score 7,000 runs in One Day Internationals, reaching the mark in 2017. Her compatriot Jhulan Goswami retired from international cricket in 2022 as the leading wicket-taker in women's ODIs, with more than 250 wickets.

Milestones are usually reported by format, since a Test average and a T20I strike rate measure different things.

How to check current records

Records are broken regularly as the women's calendar grows with more matches and leagues. For up-to-date figures, use the ICC's official records or a stats database, and use the players pages on WicketOut for individual career statistics taken from Wikipedia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest individual score in women's ODIs?

Belinda Clark's 229 not out for Australia against Denmark in the 1997 Women's World Cup is the highest in women's ODIs as far as the record books show. Always check the ICC for any later changes.

Who scored the highest women's Test score?

Kiran Baluch of Pakistan scored 242 against the West Indies in 2004, the highest individual score in women's Tests.

When was the first women's Test?

Australia played England in the first women's Test in Brisbane in December 1934.