India’s Deepti Sharma has reached the pinnacle of women’s T20 International bowling, securing the number one ranking for the first time in her career. This achievement follows a strong display in the initial match of a T20 series against Sri Lanka.
Key Performances Propel Ranking Changes
Sharma’s rise to the top was cemented by her performance in Visakhapatnam, where she claimed one wicket for 20 runs across four overs, contributing to India’s victory. This effort earned her five rating points, taking her total to 737, narrowly surpassing Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, who now holds the second position.
Alongside Sharma’s success, teammate Jemimah Rodrigues also made significant strides, advancing five spots to claim ninth place in the T20 batters’ rankings. Rodrigues played a pivotal role in India’s win against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs from 44 deliveries.
Within the top 10 of T20 batters, India is also represented by Smriti Mandhana, who remains at third, and Shafali Verma, who holds the tenth spot.
ODI Rankings See Major Shifts
In the One Day International batting rankings, South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt has once again secured the number one position, moving past India’s Smriti Mandhana, who now sits one place lower. Wolvaardt’s impressive form during a three-match ODI series against Ireland, which South Africa won 3-0, was key to her regaining the top spot.
Throughout the series, Wolvaardt was the leading run-scorer and was named Player of the Series, accumulating 255 runs at an average of 127.50. Her notable innings included 124 runs in the second ODI, where her team posted a score of 375, and an unbeaten 100 runs in the third ODI, where South Africa successfully chased a target of 206.
Further movements in the bowling rankings saw India’s Arundhati Reddy climb five places to 36th, while Ireland’s Arlene Kelly also improved her standing by five spots, reaching 27th in the ODI bowlers’ list.
