Laura Wolvaardt Climbs to Career-High No. 3 in T20I Rankings After India Series Heroics

Wolvaardt was at her brilliant best against the reigning ICC Women's Cricket World Cup winners, with the right-hander scoring a superb century in the third game of the five-match series and chipping in with a century and trio of half-centuries to finish with a total of 330 runs and the Player of the Series award in South Africa's impressive 4-1 triumph.

It saw Wolvaardt jump two places to third overall for T20I batters behind top-ranked Georgia Voll, with the in-form South African earning a career-high rating courtesy of her hot form on the eve of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12.

Just last month, Wolvaardt suggested she was in a bit of a slump, but her current run of form is sure to be crucial for South Africa's title hopes at the T20 World Cup if she can replicate the same efforts.

"I am very happy with my form at the moment," Wolvaardt said after the final game of the series against India on home soil, as quoted by ICC.

"After a tough tour to New Zealand, it has been really nice to turn it around. I cannot really tell you what has changed that much. That is the funny thing about cricket. In New Zealand, I was nine (runs) off 16 (balls) in the one game, and now I am batting quite a lot better and do not really know why," she added.

Wolvaardt is not the only player on the rise following the series between South Africa and India, with Richa Ghosh (up two slots to 22nd) and Sune Luus (up six rungs to 29th) also making gains on the list for T20I batters following some strong efforts across the five matches.

It is a tight race at the top of the rankings for T20I bowlers that is still headed by Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal, with India all-rounder Deepti Sharma (up one place) and South Africa spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (up two rungs) sharing fourth spot ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Just outside the top 10, there is a new career-high rating for India youngster Shree Charani, with the left-armer gaining 12 places to rise to 11th following her two-wicket haul in the series finale against the Proteas in Benoni.

There are also some changes in the latest ODI rankings following the completion of Bangladesh's home series with Sri Lanka, and it is a number of players from the home side who rise in the updated charts.

Experienced Bangladesh duo Nigar Sultana (up three spots to 35th) and Sobhana Mostary (up five rungs to 45th) make gains on the list for ODI batters, while Nahida Akter (up two slots to 11th) and Marufa Akter (up six places to 37th) are the big improvers on the updated rankings for ODI bowlers.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu jumps one place to ninth on the updated rankings for ODI all-rounders and seven spots to equal 34th for ODI bowlers, while teammate Harshitha Samarawickrama (up three spots to equal 20th) is the eye-catcher from the island nation on the list for ODI batters.

- ANI