Sree Charani sets new ICC Women's T20I bowling record
Indian spinner Sree Charani breaks Megan Schutt's long-standing record to become the highest-rated T20I bowler in ICC history.
Indian spin sensation Sree Charani has etched her name into the history books by achieving the highest-ever rating points in the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings. The left-arm maestro has reached a historic peak of 817 points, shattering a record that had stood for nearly six years.
Breaking a long-standing milestone
Charani's ascent to the top is not just a personal triumph but a landmark moment for Indian cricket. By reaching 817 points, she has surpassed the previous record of 806 points, which was held by Australia's Megan Schutt since November 2018. This achievement cements Charani's status as the most dominant force in the shortest format of the game.
The path to greatness: Asia Cup and Asian Games dominance
The record-breaking surge follows a string of extraordinary performances on the international stage. Charani was the linchpin of India's success in two major recent tournaments:
- Women’s Asia Cup: Charani was instrumental in India's eighth Asia Cup title, claiming 12 wickets throughout the campaign. Her standout moment came in the final against Sri Lanka, where she delivered a match-winning spell of 4/20.
- 2026 Asian Games: Continuing her momentum in Japan, she recorded career-best figures of 4/10 against the host nation, Japan, during the quarterfinals. She followed this with two crucial wickets in the gold medal match against Sri Lanka to secure the title for India.
Rankings surge for Team India
It was a golden period for the Indian squad, with several players seeing their international standing rise alongside Charani.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma also saw a significant boost in the T20I bowling rankings, climbing to a rating of 754 after her three-wicket haul in the Asian Games final. Meanwhile, batting maestro Smriti Mandhana made a triumphant return to the top five of the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings, bolstered by her 79-run contribution in the Asian Games final.
Global landscape of Women's Cricket
While India dominates the headlines, the global rankings show intense competition across formats:
- T20I Bowling: England’s Sophie Ecclestone holds the third spot with 723 points.
- T20I All-rounders: Hayley Matthews remains the leader in this category.
- ODI Batting: Smriti Mandhana continues her reign as the world's top-ranked ODI batter.
- ODI Bowling: Australia's Alana King maintains her position at the number one spot.
In the ODI circuit, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews climbed to fourth in the batting rankings following a monumental 182-run innings against Zimbabwe. The ongoing series also saw significant movement for Zimbabwe players, with Nyasha Gwanzura jumping 52 spots in the bowling rankings and Modester Mupachikwa rising to a career-best 40th in the batting standings.