India’s Richa Ghosh and Renuka Thakur have climbed to career-best T20I rankings in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20I rankings. The rankings were released on Wednesday and reflect the performances in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa.
Richa Ghosh has made it to the top 20 of the Women’s T20I rankings for the first time. She has been playing consistently well and scored unbeaten knocks of 41 against the West Indies and 47 against England last week. Her brilliant performance in these matches has helped her secure the 20th position, after moving up 16 places in the rankings.
Richa is now the fifth Indian woman to be among the top 20 players, joining vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Tahlia McGrath, the Australian fast-bowling all-rounder, currently leads the list.
In the rankings for bowlers, Renuka Thakur has moved up seven places to a career-best fifth position after an incredible haul of five for 15 against England. New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu has also achieved a career-best ranking, moving from 10th to seventh after taking eight wickets in four matches. Amelia Kerr, another New Zealand all-rounder, has jumped to a career-best 16th position after a match-winning 66 against Sri Lanka in Paarl. She has also gained three places to reach 13th among bowlers.
Muneeba Ali, the Pakistani left-handed opener, has climbed ten places to reach a career-best 64th position after becoming the first woman from her country to score a T20I century. Australia captain Meg Lanning, who scored an unbeaten 48 against Bangladesh, has moved up one place to fourth, while former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates has moved up two places to sixth after scores of 81 not out against Bangladesh and 56 against Sri Lanka.
Other notable changes in the batting rankings include South Africa’s Tazmin Brits, who has moved up six places to 21st position, England’s Amy Jones, who has moved up two places to 26th position, Ireland’s Orla Prendergast, who has moved up eight places to 38th position, and Sri Lanka’s Harshitha Samarawickrama, who has moved up four places to 39th position. Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar has progressed two places to 37th position and has also advanced seven places to 16th position among bowlers.
In the all-rounders’ list, Australia’s Darcie Brown has entered the top 10 for the first time with her economical bowling. West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is also in the top 10 after taking two for 14 against Pakistan. Matthews and Amelia Kerr have moved up a position each to take second and joint-third positions, respectively. Nida Dar of Pakistan is fifth after moving up two places.
Other notable advancements in the bowlers’ rankings include spinners Sadia Iqbal of Pakistan, who has moved up 13 places to 20th position, Karishma Ramharack of the West Indies, who has moved up 44 places to 28th position, and Eden Carson of New Zealand, who has moved up 14 places to 37th position.
The latest rankings reflect the impressive performances of some of the best women cricketers in the world. These rankings also highlight the ever-increasing popularity of women’s cricket and the growing presence of women cricketers from different countries in the top rankings.
