Wolvaardt Closes in on Top Spot

South Africa captain, Laura Wolvaardt has advanced two slots to third place and career-best rating points of 786 in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings following the conclusion of her team’s successful home series against India.

Wolvaardt smashed an unbeaten, 56-ball 92 to finish the five-match series with a total of 330 runs – the most individual runs in a women’s bilateral T20I series – as her team won the series 4-1. She was awarded the Player of the Series award and is now just two rating points behind number two, Beth Mooney and 29 behind Georgia Voll who tops the Batting Rankings with 815 points.

Other significant movements on the batters’ list include India captain, Harmanpreet Kaur moving up a slot to re-enter the top 10 with 646 points after finishing the series with 169 runs and Richa Gosh, who advanced two slots to 22nd.

South Africa’s Suné Luus climbed six places to 29th and personal-best rating points of 538 after finishing the series with 197 runs.

Deepti Sharma and Nonkululeko Mlaba have moved one and two slots respectively to joint fourth place in the bowlers’ list, which is still led by Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal. Sharma is the leading wicket taker with seven scalps and Mlaba a close second with six.

India’s left-arm spinner Shree Charani’s star continued its rise as she finished the series by taking two for 22 in the final match to rocket up 12 slots to a career-best 11th place in the Bowling Rankings.

In the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, Harshitha Madavi helped Sri Lanka win their ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh, 2-1 after returning an unbeaten 50 from 44 deliveries in the series decider. Her efforts are rewarded with a three-slot move to joint 20th in the batters’ list.

Imesha Dulani was named the Player of the Series after scoring her second half-century in three matches, helping her side to a decisive, seven-wicket win to wrap up the series, which was played in Rajshahi.

Bangladesh’s skipper Nigar Sultana advanced three places to 35th, with teammate Sobhana Mostary jumping five slots to 45th.

Finally, the top 10 of the Bowling Rankings is left undisturbed but the series leading wicket taker (six scalps), Nahida Akter is closing in on a spot in the tightly contested 10. She is just nine rating points behind New Zealand skipper, Amelia Kerr after shifting two slots to 11th. Her compatriot Inoka Ranaweera gained two places to 19th.