Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, May 27: Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has surged to the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings, dethroning England’s Sophie Ecclestone, who dropped to fourth after missing recent international action due to injury.
Sadia’s return to the No.1 spot marks a significant achievement—she previously reached the pinnacle during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in October last year, becoming the first Pakistani woman to top the bowling charts.
Ecclestone’s absence from the T20I series against the West Indies, while she focused on recovery and domestic cricket, allowed the rankings to shift. India’s Deepti Sharma and Australia’s Annabel Sutherland have climbed into second and third positions respectively, underlining the growing competition among international bowlers.
England’s pace bowler Lauren Bell made notable gains, climbing 13 places to a career-best sixth after claiming seven wickets—the most in the series. Teammates Linsey Smith and Issy Wong also made strides, jumping 37 and 32 spots respectively, with Wong now tied for 62nd in the rankings.
In the batting charts, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has equaled her career-best second position following a sensational series against England. She amassed 177 runs across three matches, including a match-winning unbeaten century in Canterbury, earning her the Player of the Series accolade.
Matthews has overtaken India’s Smriti Mandhana and Australia’s Tahlia McGrath, reasserting her status among the elite. The last time she held the second spot was in December 2023.
England’s Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt also improved their rankings after strong batting performances in their 3-0 series sweep. Knight jumped seven spots to 17th following her 109-run tally, including an unbeaten 66. Sciver-Brunt moved up five places to ninth after leading from the front with 92 runs. Sophia Dunkley climbed eight places to reach 29th.
These updates mark a dynamic reshuffling of the T20I landscape as players continue to jostle for top honours ahead of upcoming international fixtures.