Pakistan’s left-arm spinner, Sadia Iqbal, has ascended to the pinnacle of the ICC T20I bowling rankings, nudging England’s Sophie Ecclestone down to fourth place. Ecclestone’s absence from the recent series against the West Indies, due to a knee injury sustained at the Women’s Premier League, facilitated her drop. Fortunately, she has since returned to play for Lancashire Women.
Sadia, attributing her success to former Pakistan captain Sana Mir, remarked, “She (Sana Mir) obviously had a lot of experience in women’s cricket. The way she’s served Pakistan cricket, she has been number one bowler during her days. I used to keep talking to her while we were on tour regarding bowling different variations.” Her dedication to refining her skills has evidently paid off.
England’s Lauren Bell climbed 13 places into sixth in the rankings, bolstered by her performance as the leading wicket-taker against the West Indies. Further, Linsey Smith and Issy Wong saw substantial improvements, moving up 37 and 32 positions, respectively. Wong’s rise will be particularly satisfying given her return to the squad after last playing against Ireland in September 2024.
Despite a 3-0 series loss, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews showcased her prowess, amassing 177 runs, including a century, and elevating her position to second in batting rankings, just behind Beth Mooney. She now eyes the top spot, with upcoming fixtures against South Africa. Matthews displaced Tahlia McGrath and Smriti Mandhana, securing third and fourth places, and continues to lead the all-rounder rankings ahead of New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr.
England’s captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, entered the top 10 with a notable half-century in the series, while former captain Heather Knight rose to 17th. Sophia Dunkley, contributing as the third leading run-scorer in the series, advanced to 29th.
These rankings underscore the dynamic nature of the women’s T20I cricket scene, with players like Iqbal and Matthews making significant impacts.
