The first ladies

Shelley Nitschke was Australia's star in the tournament, finishing as their highest run-scorer and wicket-taker. Her prolific scoring ensured she ended fifth overall on the run-scorer's charts. If her highest of 56 off 38 balls against West Indies in the group stages was one of authority, she followed it up with a superb display with the ball, picking up 4 for 21 in the next match against South Africa.

Fresh off the success of the ODI World Cup, Charlotte Edwards masterminded another success on home soil, leading England to the World Twenty20 crown. She was on song during the group stages, blowing away India with a quickfire fifty before her all-round display against Pakistan made sure England finished top of Pool B.

At 33, if there were any doubts about adjusting to the shortest format, the player of the series from the ODI World Cup put them to rest soon. Second on the run charts, a run behind Aimee Watkins' 200, her average of 199.00 meant she once again walked away with the honours. She was in prime form scoring two unbeaten fifties - the one against Australia in the semi-final was of significant note - and it was only fitting that she hit the winning runs, a boundary, in the final.

She had the additional burden of the captaincy to bear after Haydee Tiffin's retirement, but the leading lady for New Zealand hardly put a foot wrong. Unfortunately, like her predecessor, she had to be content with being second-best. With the leading run-getter in the tournament in their ranks - 200 at 66.66 - New Zealand could have done without a blip from her when it mattered the most, in the final.

Sarah Taylor impressed with her safe wicketkeeping, along with her steady batting through the tournament. She was the third-highest scorer in the England team with 119 runs, playing as an opening batsman. With one fifty against India, she was instrumental in giving her team good starts at the top of the order.

Suzie Bates finished the fourth-highest run-getter of the tournament, showing consistency as the opening batsman for New Zealand. With scores of 41 not-out, 60 and 24 in successive league matches, she was the mainstay of her team's batting line-up. She was also handy with the ball, bowling medium-pacers and chipping in with two wickets.

An allrounder who can play the big shots, Lucy Doolan was an integral part of the New Zealand team which reached the final. Doolan kept things tight with her off-breaks, picking up a total of four wickets. Her effort against West Indies in the group match stood out, as she followed up a 38-ball 41 with a three-wicket haul.

Rumeli Dhar is another allrounder who had a fruitful World Twenty20, scalping six wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.78 runs per over. However, she had an ordinary time with the bat, scoring just nine runs in four innings. In the match against Pakistan, Dhar blew away the Pakistan top order to set up a comfortable Indian victory.

Holly Colvin, the left-arm spinner, was one of England's most consistent performers in the competition, bagging nine wickets at 11.77 at an excellent economy rate of 5.30. She was the tournament's highest wicket-taker, and played a crucial role in helping her team inflict heavy defeats Pakistan in the league stages, taking three wickets against each of them and easing England's passage to semis.

Sian Ruck proved a revelation with her left-arm seam bowling, confounding batsmen with her ability to swing the ball both ways and working up some decent pace. She was New Zealand's semi-final knocked India out. After excelling in her first stint in international cricket, she remains a great prospect for her team in the years to come.

Laura Marsh took at least a wicket in each of the five games she played, and was extremely economical. She wasn't taken for above six-an-over in a single game and played an important role in boosting England's bowling line-up. She finished with six wickets at 11.33 at a rate of 3.40-an-over, including an incredible spell against Sri Lanka where she conceded just seven runs in her allotted four overs. In fact, she's one of the most economical bowlers in the women's circuit, conceding just 4.23-an-over. She gave away just 12 in the semi-final against Australia, who still posted a competitive 163 which Claire Taylor and Beth Morgan helped overhaul.

Sri Lanka's only claim to fame in the competition was a win against fellow minnows Pakistan but not much could be asked of a team previously unexposed to the Twenty20 format. But Eshani Kaushalya was their best player, finishing as the against England, taking 4 for 18, though the tournament favourites managed an imposing score. She was the only seamer to take four wickets in an innings in a competition where spinners performed better.