England's Linsey Smith climbs to No. 1 in ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings
London, June 2
England spinner Linsey Smith has continued her remarkable rise in international cricket by climbing to the top of the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings for the first time in her career.
The left-arm spinner's ascent comes on the back of a series of impressive performances against New Zealand and India, with Smith gaining one place to overtake Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal and claim the No. 1 ranking.
Her rise caps a memorable period of form and underlines her growing influence in England's T20I setup, according to the ICC website.
It's been a long time coming for Smith, with the 31-year-old first making her debut way back in 2018 and only becoming a permanent fixture for England in the shortest format late in 2024 after almost five years out of international cricket.
But a recent Player of the Series performance against the White Ferns, plus a strong showing in England's impressive victory over India in Bristol in the second match of their three-game series, has seen Smith reach a new career-high rating and claim the premier position just days out from the start of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
Smith's teammate Lauren Bell is also on the move as she gained a solitary spot to move to third on the updated rankings for T20I bowlers, while stand-in England skipper Charlie Dean improved two rungs to rise to fifth.
India's Shree Charani jumped seven spots to fourth following her three-wicket haul against England, with just 39 rating points separating the top 10-ranked bowlers ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup on June 12.
Australia's Georgia Voll hangs on to her lead at the top of the rankings for T20I batters, but there is some movement outside the top 10 as a host of players make their move.
India right-hander Jemimah Rodrigues gains four spots to move into a tie for 11th, while star Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast jumps 10 slots to equal 16th following her unbeaten 71 against the West Indies in Dublin.
Prendergast also gains one place to move to sixth on the rankings for T20I all-rounders, while Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty (up four slots to 20th) and Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali (up two rungs to equal 32nd) make some eye-catching improvement on the latest list for T20I batters.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see women's cricket getting more global attention. But I wish the article had highlighted how England's win in Bristol came against an inexperienced Indian side. Our main players like Harmanpreet and Smriti were rested. Still, good performance by Charani, she's one for the future. Hope the selectors give her a consistent run.
Congratulations to Linsey Smith! She's truly worked hard to climb back from being out of the team for years. As a cricket fan, I love such comeback stories. And Jemimah Rodrigues moving up to 11th is a relief—she's been in great touch in domestic cricket. Hoping she carries this momentum into the World Cup! 🏏💪
Rankings are nice, but what matters is performance in big matches. India's bowling lineup has potential, but we often choke under pressure. Shree Charani rising is good, but our fielding still needs massive improvement. Smith deserves her No.1 spot—she's been economical and takes wickets in powerplays. Let's see how our girls fare against Australia in the World Cup.
What a moment for Linsey Smith! Being 31 and reaching No.1 after a gap of years speaks volumes about her grit. And btw, Shree Charani is only 22? India's future looks bright with bowlers like her and Renuka. Just wish our batting clicked more consistently. Jemimah at 11th is promising—she's been unlucky with opportunities in the past.
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