Deepti Sharma’s tidy 1 for 20 against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam has nudged the India all-rounder to the summit of the ICC women’s T20I bowling rankings for the first time. Her rating now sits at 737, a single point clear of Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, who had held the position since August.
Sharma acknowledged the milestone in understated fashion. “Rankings matter, of course, but the real satisfaction comes from contributing to wins,” she said after training on Tuesday. India went on to take the opening game by 27 runs.
There was movement for India’s batters as well. Jemimah Rodrigues, whose unbeaten 69 from 44 balls decided that match, has entered the top ten, rising five places to ninth. She joins Smriti Mandhana (third) and Shafali Verma (tenth) to give India three representatives in the elite group. Rodrigues downplayed her leap, noting, “Numbers come and go; I’m just happy the knock helped us over the line.”
At the other end of the format spectrum, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in ODI batting. Consecutive centuries—124 and an unbeaten 100—against Ireland in Potchefstroom powered her side to a 3-0 sweep and pushed her past Mandhana in the rankings. Wolvaardt piled up 255 runs at an average of 127.50, form she attributed to “hours of range-hitting” during a recent domestic break.
Former Proteas opener Mignon du Preez offered context on television commentary: “Laura’s rhythm is back; when her front foot lands straight, bowlers are in trouble.”
Mandhana, now second, took the reshuffle in stride. “You keep scoring, the rankings look after themselves,” she told local media. India’s next ODI assignment is a three-match series at home to New Zealand in late January, presenting an immediate chance for repositioning.
Current top positions
• T20I bowling: Deepti Sharma (IND) 737 points
• T20I batting: Beth Mooney (AUS) 797 points
• ODI batting: Laura Wolvaardt (SA) 765 points
Full tables are available on the ICC website, where weekly updates reflect ongoing bilateral series.
While rankings provide neat storylines, their volatility serves as a reminder: form is temporary, and the international calendar offers little time to rest on numbers alone.
