Annabel Sutherland is the new No.1 bowler in women’s T20Is, moving ahead of Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal in the latest ICC rankings released on Tuesday.
Key numbers first. Sutherland keeps the same rating she earned back in March – 736 points – yet that steadiness has proved enough because her closest rivals have slipped. Iqbal collected only three wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 defeat to Ireland in Dublin, while India’s Deepti Sharma stayed static. The pair now share second place.
ICC rankings manager Adrian Griffith noted, “The system rewards long-term consistency, not just short bursts of success.”
For Ireland, Orla Prendergast was the headline act. The all-rounder’s 144 runs at a strike rate of 135.84, plus four wickets, secured both the Player-of-the-Series award and Ireland’s first bilateral T20I series win over Pakistan. Those performances have taken her eight places higher to 19th among batters and to a career-best sixth on the all-rounder list.
“It’s nice to see the rankings reflect hard work, but the real thrill is getting the series win,” Prendergast said after the final match at Clontarf. Head coach Ed Joyce added, “Orla sets the tone for us – bat, ball, field, the lot. This jump feels well-earned.”
Other Irish players also moved forward: captain Laura Delany is now joint-50th in the batting chart and Rebecca Stokell sits 77th. On the Pakistan side, opener Muneeba Ali rose to 32nd among batters, while seamer Fatima Sana climbed to 59th.
Sutherland, currently playing the Hundred, admitted she was “a bit surprised” to learn of her elevation. “The ranking is lovely, though there’s still plenty for me to work on,” she told Cricket Australia media.
Next up: Pakistan head to Bangladesh and Australia host New Zealand in September, offering Iqbal and company an early chance to respond.
