India batter Smriti Mandhana is inching closer to the top of the cricket world, marking her impressive rise within the ICC Women’s Cricket Rankings following standout performances against the West Indies.
This past week, Mandhana showcased her exceptional talent, achieving second place in both the T20I and ODI formats. With her latest ratings, she sits at 739 for ODIs, just 34 points behind South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who leads the charts with 773. Similarly, she stands at 753 for T20Is, trailing Australian Beth Mooney, who holds 757.
Mandhana's stellar performance during the series included scores of 62 (41) and 77 (47) across the two T20Is, completing her trifecta of half-centuries against Hayley Matthews’ team. She then followed this up with a commendable 91 (102) during the opening ODI match held in Vadodara, continuing a remarkable streak of scoring over 50 runs in her last five innings.
On the opposing side, Matthews too demonstrated her prowess. She registered scores of 85 not out (47) and 22 (17) across the T20Is, causing her to jump two spots, currently sharing the third position with Tahlia McGrath, both boasting ratings of 748.
The ODI batting top ten experienced several shifts throughout the week, with Harmanpreet Kaur jumping three spots to tie for tenth with Tammy Beaumont, thanks to her score of 34. Meanwhile, Australia's Alyssa Healy climbed to eighth position after her scores of 39 and 34 against New Zealand, raising her rating to 640.
Arguably, the most significant leap came from Annabel Sutherland, who, off the back of her outstanding innings of 105 not out and 42, soared 11 places to 18th with 563 rating points. She also excelled with the ball, capturing 3/39 during the third ODI, resulting in another two-spot rise to 7th on the all-rounder rankings with 301 points.
The shifts within the rankings didn’t end there: New Zealand's Melie Kerr climbed to 11th place with 572 points, benefited from consistent performances. Meanwhile, India’s Renuka Singh, who bagged five wickets for 29 runs against the West Indies, ascended six places to the 20th position with 497 rating points.
While the top ten bowling rankings saw little change, the week marked the emergence of several players, particularly as Australia's squad continued its dominance with their third consecutive victory within the ICC Women’s Championship. Both Alana King and Kim Garth made headway, moving to 12th and 13th spots respectively.
Overall, Mandhana’s sustained excellence on the field reflects not only her capabilities as one of the premier cricketers but also symbolizes her potential ascent to the No. 1 spot, so long as she continues her form. This week has undoubtedly been pivotal, setting the stage for exciting developments as the ICC Women's Championship progresses.
The rankings’ tight margins reveal how each match can significantly affect standings, emphasizing the competitive nature of women's cricket at this level. Fans and analysts alike eagerly watch to see how these players will evolve, particularly as they approach major tournaments and qualifiers.
