ICC Women’s ODI rankings: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana rise in batting; Deepti Sharma inches closer to Sophie Ecclestone among bowlers

The Indian women’s cricket team saw a boost in their ODI rankings after a 2-1 series victory over New Zealand in the ICC Women’s Championship series in Ahmedabad. This win helped India consolidate its third-place position in the standings, accumulating 25 points from 15 matches. Meanwhile, Australia and England lead with 28 points each from 18 and 21 matches, respectively, while New Zealand ranks sixth with 20 points from 21 games.

Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur make strides in batting rankings

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and opener Smriti Mandhana were instrumental in India’s series win. Harmanpreet climbed back to ninth place in the ICC Women’s ODI batting rankings after her impactful knock of 59 runs off 63 balls in the final ODI. This innings was crucial in India’s six-wicket victory, securing the series. Harmanpreet had slipped three spots after the first two games but her final performance propelled her back into the top 10.

Mandhana, with her brilliant century in the third ODI, earned the Player of the Match award and added 23 rating points to reach a total of 728, placing her fourth in the rankings. She trails Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu by just five points, while England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt leads with 760 points.

Deepti Sharma gains crucial points among bowlers

All-rounder Deepti Sharma solidified her position as the second-ranked bowler globally with a career-high 703 points. She achieved this feat after a match-winning spell of 3/39 in the final ODI. Previously at 687 points, Deepti gained 16 rating points, further reinforcing her role as a vital player for India.

England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone retains a considerable lead in the bowling rankings with 770 points. Indian pacer Renuka Singh also advanced in the bowling rankings, moving up four spots to reach 32nd place. Emerging players Saima Thakor and Priya Mishra made notable strides as well, with Saima climbing 20 places to joint-77th and Priya advancing six places to 83rd. Their performances reflect India’s increasing depth in bowling talent.

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Further notable improvements

Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia rose in the rankings from 48th to 45th after scoring 35 runs in the final match. For New Zealand, Brooke Halliday’s 86-run innings moved her up 12 places to 24th, and Georgia Plimmer’s 39 runs in the series finale propelled her from 85th to 74th position. India’s win over New Zealand marks a significant step in their journey within the ICC Women’s Championship, with a current total of 25 points that strengthens their bid for the top spots.

Lea Tahuhu’s late heroics with the bat in the final ODI against India (scoring 24* off just 14 balls) earned her a significant boost in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings. Her impactful performance helped her leap five spots to reach the 27th position, securing 126 ranking points. This was the most notable movement in the all-rounder category in the latest update. Indian captain Harmanpreet also saw a slight rise in her all-rounder ranking, moving up two spots to 33rd. New Zealand’s Suzie Bates enjoyed a minor boost as well, climbing one spot to 35th.