Key Points

Deepti Sharma is on the verge of becoming the top-ranked T20I bowler after her standout performances against England. She now trails Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal by just eight rating points. Teammate Arundhati Reddy also made significant gains in the rankings. Meanwhile, England's batters, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley, rose in the rankings after their match-winning partnership.

Key Points: Deepti Sharma Nears Top ICC T20I Ranking After England Heroics

  • Deepti Sharma climbs to second in ICC T20I rankings
  • Just 8 points behind Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal
  • Arundhati Reddy also rises 11 spots
  • England's Wyatt-Hodge and Dunkley shine in batting
3 min read

Deepti Sharma on cusp of top spot in T20I rankings following heroics in England

Indian spinner Deepti Sharma inches closer to No. 1 in ICC T20I rankings after stellar performances against England.

"Deepti could claim top position with strong performances in the remaining matches. – ICC"

New Delhi, July 8

The race for the top spot in ICC T20I Bowlers' Rankings among women is on, with Indian spinner Deepti Sharma on the cusp of the top spot after she moved within eight rating points of the top spot in the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings.

Deepti has been in the top 10 rankings for T20I bowlers for the majority of the last six years, but the 27-year-old has never held the top position despite maintaining great consistency in recent times.

The latest update to the T20I rankings has seen Deepti gain one spot and overtake Australia pacer Annabel Sutherland to regain second place on the rankings, with the right-arm now just eight rating points behind Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal at the top of the rankings, as per ICC.

Deepti earns her latest rise on the back of a three-wicket haul in the third game of India's five-match T20I series against England, and the off-spinner could claim top position from her Pakistan rival with some strong performances over the final two contests in the series. So far in the series, she has six wickets at an average of 14.83.

Teammate Arundhati Reddy is also on the rise, with the seamer gaining 11 places to jump to equal 43rd on the list for T20I bowlers following her own three-wicket haul in the most recent match of the series against England at The Oval.

There were gains for a host of England bowlers too following their narrow five-run triumph at the iconic London venue, with pacers Issy Wong (up three spots to equal 57th) and Lauren Filer (up 21 rungs to equal 68th) the two biggest risers as fellow quick Lauren Bell maintained fourth spot on the rankings.

Australia's Beth Mooney maintains her narrow advantage at the top of the rankings for T20I batters, though there is some change just outside the top 10 following some strong performances from players from England and India in their ongoing series.

India dynamo Jemimah Rodrigues gains two places to move to 12th overall after she contributed a half-century in the second match of the series in Bristol, while openers Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley are the big winners from an England perspective following their superb partnership at The Oval. The pair put on 137 for the opening wicket in decent time to help set up England's victory, with Wyatt-Hodge improving three spots to 14th on the T20I batter rankings as a result and Dunkley gaining four places to move to 26th on the same list. Dunkley played a knock of 75 while Danni scored 66, taking his team to a match-winning total of 171/9, which India missed out by five runs.

There are also some gains for England's premier spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who jumps three places to eighth on the list for T20I all-rounders following a career-best contribution of 35 with the bat during the second match of the series in Bristol.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While Deepti's performance is commendable, I feel our batters need to step up more consistently. Losing by 5 runs after England set 171 shows we're still struggling with chasing. Fielding could be better too.
R
Rohit P
Deepti Sharma is the backbone of our bowling attack! 🏏 Her variations are so difficult to read. Also great to see Arundhati Reddy improving - we need more pace options in women's cricket.
S
Sarah B
As an England fan, I must say this India-England series has been fantastic cricket! Both teams showing great skills. Deepti's bowling is world class, but our openers Wyatt and Dunkley were brilliant too. Looking forward to the next matches!
K
Kavya N
Jemimah Rodrigues' batting is pure class! Her 50 was beautiful to watch. Our women's team is making us proud - from being underdogs to serious contenders in world cricket. More coverage please, media! 🙏
V
Vikram M
The real story here is how women's cricket is growing in India. 10 years back we wouldn't have 50 people watching, now stadiums are packed! BCCI needs to invest more in domestic structure to produce more Deeptis and Jemimahs.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50