ICC Women's Rankings: Harmanpreet, Deepti Surge; Smriti Slips
Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma surge in ICC Women's Rankings after centuries against Zimbabwe, while Smriti Mandhana slips from the top.
The latest update to the ICC Women's Rankings has brought a mix of celebrations and setbacks for the Indian contingent. Following a dominant display in the ICC Women's Championship series against Zimbabwe in Vadodara, several Indian stars have seen their positions climb, fueled by standout individual performances.
Centuries Pay Off for Harmanpreet and Deepti
India's dominance in the three-game series, which they clinched after consecutive wins in the first two matches, was highlighted by a spectacular second ODI. Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur and versatile all-rounder Deepti Sharma both smashed centuries in the match, and the ICC rankings have reflected their brilliance.
Harmanpreet Kaur has climbed two spots to now occupy the eighth position among ODI batters. Deepti Sharma, meanwhile, has made significant leaps across multiple categories:
- ODI Batters: Jumped four spots to reach 23rd.
- ODI All-rounders: Rose two rungs to secure the fourth spot.
- ODI Bowlers: Moved up one place to 8th.
Mixed Fortunes for the Indian Squad
While the veterans soared, the top spot saw a change of guard. India's captain Smriti Mandhana has lost her No. 1 ranking among ODI batters. This dip follows a lean patch in the recent fixtures against Zimbabwe, where she managed scores of 32 and zero, allowing South African captain Laura Wolvaardt to reclaim the summit.
However, the rankings provided a silver lining for other Indian players. Young talent Pratika Rawal achieved a career-best ranking, leaping seven spots to 21st in the ODI batters list. Additionally, Kranti Gaud moved up two places to 25th in the bowling rankings.
T20I Rankings: Mandhana and Shafali Gain Ground
Despite the setback in the ODI format, the T20I rankings tell a different story for the Indian duo. Both Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana climbed one spot each, with Verma moving to third and Mandhana to fourth in the T20I batters list following the Zimbabwe series.
Global Shifts: Australia and New Zealand
The rankings were also heavily influenced by the trans-Tasman clash between Australia and New Zealand. Australian players saw a notable rise across various categories:
- Ash Gardner: Surged nine spots to 19th for T20I batters.
- Georgia Wareham: Rose four rungs to equal seventh for T20I bowlers.
- Kim Garth: Climbed five slots to equal 10th for T20I bowlers.
New Zealand also found reason to cheer, with Bree Illing moving up six slots to 17th and Nensi Patel climbing to 29th in the T20I bowling department.
Zimbabwe's Progress
Despite the series loss, Zimbabwe's players showed resilience in the rankings. Modester Mupachikwa climbed five spots to 39th, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano rose four places to 47th, and Beloved Biza made the biggest jump of the group, leaping 16 places to reach 56th in the ODI batters list.