Pakistan’s Sadia Back on Top in ICC Women’s T20I Rankings

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal has reclaimed the number one position in the ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings, the International Cricket Council announced Tuesday.

Sadia’s rise to the top follows England’s Sophie Ecclestone missing her team’s recent T20I series due to injury. Ecclestone, who previously held the top spot, has slipped to fourth after playing only domestic cricket recently.

Sadia first reached number one in October last year during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai, becoming the first Pakistani woman to achieve this milestone. She now returns to the summit ahead of India’s Deepti Sharma and Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, who occupy the second and third spots respectively.

In batting rankings, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews surged to a career-best joint-second position after an impressive performance against England. Matthews scored 177 runs in the three-match series, including an unbeaten century in the first game at Canterbury, and was named Player of the Series. This climb moves her ahead of India’s Smriti Mandhana and Australia’s Tahlia McGrath.

England’s Heather Knight, contributing 109 runs with an unbeaten 66 in the final match at Chelmsford, jumped seven places to 17th. Her teammate Nat Sciver-Brunt rose five spots to ninth after scoring 92 runs and leading England to a clean sweep. Sophia Dunkley also advanced eight places to 29th.

Among bowlers, England’s Lauren Bell moved up 13 places to a career-best sixth after taking seven wickets in the series. Linsey Smith and Issy Wong made significant gains as well, climbing 37 and 32 places to 41st and joint-62nd, respectively.