Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah feature in Wisden’s five ‘Cricketers of the Year’
Wisden has rewarded Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah for their performance last year including them in five players in their ‘Cricketers of the Year’ section. England’s Joe Root has been named leading cricketer in the world while Lizelle Lee from South Africa has been named leading woman cricketer.
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International career
Lizelle Lee was born on 2 April 1992 in Ermelo, South Africa. She played for the national women’s team from 2013 to 2022. Lee was known as a strong right-handed batter, mostly opening the innings, but she also played in the middle order when needed.
She began her cricket journey in domestic competitions, where she represented North West. During one of the matches, she scored an unbeaten 169 off 84 balls against Mpumalanga in a T20 game, which brought her a lot of attention. After finishing high school, she studied education at North West University, where her cricket career continued to grow.
At age 21, she made her international debut. Within just a few years, she appeared in more than 60 international matches. During that time, she hit eleven half-centuries and had an average of around 25 across different formats.
One of her most memorable performances came in the 2014 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. Playing against Pakistan, she and Dane van Niekerk shared an unbeaten 163-run opening partnership. At that time, it was the highest ever in women’s T20 internationals.
In 2015, Lee spent the summer in England. She joined Somerset in the Women’s County Championship and also played for Bath in the Southern Premier League. During that season, she scored a century from just 60 balls against Devon and ended the campaign with an average above 80 in the league.
Her performances remained strong over the years. In January 2022, the ICC named her Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year. Just a few months later, in July, she announced her retirement from international cricket. Her career left a clear mark on South African women’s cricket.
- 2013: Lizelle Lee played her first international matches this year. On September 12, she appeared in her first WT20I against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom. Eight days later, on September 20, she played her first WODI, also against Bangladesh, in Benoni. This was the beginning of her international journey with South Africa’s women’s team.
- 2014: In November, Lee played her first Test match. The match was against India in Mysore, from November 16 to 19. During the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, she and Dane van Niekerk built a 163-run partnership against Pakistan. That was the highest unbeaten partnership in women’s T20Is at the time.
- 2015: Lee continued to be part of the national team. She played in several matches and stayed active in both short and long formats. Her role in the team became more stable.
- 2016 – 2017: These two years did not include big records, but Lee remained an important player. She was selected regularly and kept contributing to the team. Her spot in the lineup stayed solid.
- 2018: In March, she received a national contract from Cricket South Africa for the 2018–19 season. In May, she reached 2,000 runs in WODIs during a match against Bangladesh. Only two other South African women had done this before her. In October, she joined the national squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
- 2019: In February, Lee missed the series against Sri Lanka because of fitness concerns. She returned later that year. In the fifth match against Pakistan, she scored 75 runs off 48 balls. South Africa won that game and the series. In October, she scored 84 runs off 47 balls in a T20I against India. South Africa won that match by 105 runs but lost the series 3–1.
- 2020: In January, Lee was named in the squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia. In the match against Thailand, she scored 101 runs. It was her first WT20I century and the fastest T20 century by a South African woman. In July, she joined the national training group of 24 players preparing for a tour of England.
- 2021: Lee played several more games this year. On September 4, she played her last WT20I match. It was against West Indies in North Sound. She stayed active but was moving toward the end of her international career.
- 2022: In February, she was part of the team selected for the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. On March 31, she reached her 100th WODI appearance in a match against England. That was also her last WODI. In June, she played her last Test match. It took place in Taunton from June 27 to 30, against England. In July, she announced her retirement from international cricket.
Leagues Participation
Lizelle Lee has been active in top domestic leagues around the world. In the Women’s Big Bash League, she played for Melbourne Stars from 2017/18 to 2019/20, then joined Melbourne Renegades for the 2020/21 season. Since 2022/23, she has represented Hobart Hurricanes. In The Hundred, she played for Manchester Originals during 2021 and 2022, then moved to Trent Rockets in 2023. Her strong hitting style made her a valuable player in both competitions.
Women’s Big Bash League
Lizelle Lee joined the WBBL in the 2017/18 season with Melbourne Stars and played three seasons, scoring over 1,100 runs, including a standout 102 in 2018. In 2020/21, she moved to Melbourne Renegades, stepping in for Jess Duffin. Since 2022/23, she has been part of Hobart Hurricanes and had a record-breaking WBBL|10 campaign. Her 150 against Perth Scorchers became the highest individual score in the league’s history.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2017/18
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Melbourne Stars
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Debut season; began building her WBBL profile.
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2018/19
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Melbourne Stars
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Scored 102 off 56 balls vs Sydney Sixers; her first WBBL century.
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2019/20
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Melbourne Stars
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Completed three full seasons; 1,100+ runs across 40 matches.
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2020/21
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Melbourne Renegades
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Replaced Jess Duffin (maternity leave); brought in for strong top-order.
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2021/22
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Did not participate
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No WBBL appearance this season.
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2022/23
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Hobart Hurricanes
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Joined new franchise; returned to regular playing role.
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2023/24
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Hobart Hurricanes
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Consistent season; helped team in key matches.
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2024/25
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Hobart Hurricanes
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Scored 150 vs Perth; highest WBBL score, most sixes, back-to-back tons.
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Women’s Hundred
Lizelle Lee joined the Manchester Originals in 2021 during the first edition of The Hundred. She remained with the team for a second season in 2022 after being picked again in the draft. In 2023, she moved to Trent Rockets and also played for The Blaze in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy that September. During this period, she stayed active across multiple formats, including a standout WBBL performance later that year.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2021
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Manchester Originals
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Selected in the inaugural draft for the first season of The Hundred.
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2022
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Manchester Originals
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Retained for second season through the April draft.
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2023
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Trent Rockets
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Signed by Trent Rockets; also joined The Blaze for RHF Trophy matches.
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2024
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Did not participate
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Focused on WBBL; scored record-breaking 150 for Hobart Hurricanes.
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Domestic career
Lizelle Lee played for Western Storm and Surrey Stars in England’s Women's Cricket Super League. In 2017, she reached the semi-final with the Stars, but the team lost to Western Storm. One year later, she scored 104 runs from 58 balls in the final, helping Surrey Stars defeat Loughborough Lightning. In 2019, she joined the M van der Merwe XI in South Africa’s Women's T20 Super League.
In Australia, she played three seasons with Melbourne Stars and scored over 1,000 runs. In the first match of the 2018–19 season, she hit 102 not out from 56 balls. Ahead of the 2020–21 season, she joined Melbourne Renegades. Later, she signed with Hobart Hurricanes, where she set WBBL records in her third season: the highest individual score of 150, the most sixes in one innings (12), and became the first player with two WBBL centuries in a row.
Lee also played in The Hundred. She joined Manchester Originals in 2021 and again in 2022, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 215 runs in the first season. In 2023, she signed with Trent Rockets and also played for The Blaze in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Records and achievements
Lizelle Lee has set important records and won notable awards in her cricket career. Her strong batting helped her reach high scores and receive recognition. Here are the main achievements by year:
- 2021:
- Won the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year Award. She was the first South African woman to get this award.
- Scored 632 runs in 11 ODIs with an average of 90.28, including 1 century and 5 half-centuries.
- Named Player of the Series in the 5-match ODI series against India, scoring 288 runs, with a best of 132 not out from 131 balls in the rain-affected third match.
- 2024:
- Achieved the highest individual score in WBBL history: 150 not out from 75 balls, including 12 sixes and 12 fours, on November 10 against Perth Scorchers.
- Broke the record for most sixes in a women’s T20 innings, with 12 sixes, beating the previous record of 11 held by Grace Harris.
- Became the first player to score two back-to-back WBBL centuries (150 and 103).
- Received the ESPNcricinfo Award for the best performance in women’s T20 leagues in 2024, due to her exceptional batting displays.
Personal life
Lizelle Lee keeps her private life mostly away from the public eye, but some details are known. Her family, finances, and challenges off the field have shaped her journey as much as her cricket.
Family
Lee married her longtime partner, Tanja Cronje, in September 2020. Their wedding was planned for April 2020 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The couple had their first child in 2022. In 2024, Lee and Tanja became permanent residents of Australia and made Tasmania their home after Lee retired from international cricket. Since then, Lee counts as a local player in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).
Finance
By 2025, Lizelle Lee’s estimated net worth from cricket is about $4.6 million.
Scandals
Lee faced accusations about failing fitness tests before a tour to England, related to her weight. She said she did not get an official measurement photo and did not receive formal results. Cricket South Africa (CSA) denied any wrongdoing, stating Lee’s overall fitness was the real issue.
There were also claims that CSA threatened to withhold a certificate needed to play in some tournaments. Lee said this pushed her to retire from international cricket. The national coach and CSA denied these claims, saying concerns were about discipline, not blocking her.
Fans
Lizelle Lee has around 35,000 followers on Instagram.
