The rise of Lauren Bell, England’s towering pace sensation, has been nothing short of meteoric. At just 24, as she has breached the 100th international wicket landmark against India in the 1st T20I at Trent Bridge, and the cricket world is abuzz with excitement about her journey, her numbers, and, most importantly, her future.
Lauren Bell’s international story began on a breezy June afternoon in 2022 at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. Facing South Africa in the longest format, she wasted little time in making an impression. Nine Test innings later, she boasts 18 wickets, a tidy 24.11 average, and two memorable four-wicket hauls, a testament to her ability to trouble batters with movement, bounce, and aggression.
Bell’s white-ball evolution has been equally impressive. Making her ODI debut just three weeks after her Test bow, she has since collected 35 wickets in 20 outings. Her economy (5.40) and average (25.05) underline her control and incisiveness, qualities that have made her a captain’s dream. Perhaps most indicative of her skill is the haul against top-tier opposition, a four-for and a maiden five-wicket haul already in her CV.
Her T20I journey kicked off in the cauldron of Chester-le-Street against India in September 2022. Since then, 47 wickets at a dazzling average of 17.68 and an economy of just over seven mark her out as one of the format’s most dangerous new-ball operators. Bell’s ability to strike early and adapt at the death has been crucial to England’s white-ball resurgence.
This summer, with England hosting Hayley Matthews’ West Indies side, Bell has been at her blistering best. England swept the T20I series 3-0, with Lauren emerging as the leading wicket-taker, claiming 7 wickets in 3 electric spells. Her control and intelligence, mixing lengths and carving open the Windies’ batting, set the tone for the English dominance.
England, led by skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, is hosting India for a white-ball bilateral series that includes a 5-match T20I series followed by a three-match T20I series from 28th June 2025 to 22nd July 2025. A dangerous 21-year-old Indian wicket-keeper batter, Richa Ghosh (12 off 6 balls), became her 100th victim at the international level, a landmark that few achieve so swiftly.
She eventually returned with impressive match-figures (4-0-27-3) in her spell at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in the 1st T20I of the series. With her best years still ahead, Bell’s milestone is a mere signpost in what promises to be a glittering career.
For England, and for women’s cricket worldwide, Lauren Bell is not just the present; she’s the future. Lauren Bell’s journey to 100 international wickets is a testament to her talent, work ethic, and love for the game.
