Sadia Iqbal headlines ICC Women’s T20I player rankings

• The 29-year-old left-arm spinner briefly becomes first Pakistan player to top the Women’s T20I rankings before finishing in second position

Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal became the first from her country to top the ICC Women’s T20I Rankings when she briefly overtook long-time number one Sophie Ecclestone before finishing second among bowlers in the weekly update that is carried out on Tuesdays.

Ecclestone had started the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in top spot – which she had occupied since February 2020. Sadia drew level with her on 757 rating points after taking three for 17 against Sri Lanka in a Group A match on Thursday. Ecclestone slipped to second spot with 750 points two days later after going wicketless against Bangladesh in a Group B match.Sadia’s reign at the top was, however, limited to two days as Ecclestone grabbed two for 15 against South Africa to win the Player of the Match award and regain the top spot, ending the interesting neck-and-neck battle between the two left-arm spinners for the week.

Sadia became only the second Pakistan player to top the women’s rankings. Former captain Sana Mir was top of the ODI bowling rankings in 2018-2019.

There were other notable movements too after the England-South Africa match as South Africa openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits both attained career-best-equalling rankings after moving up two spots each.

Captain Wolvaardt reached third position after scores of 52 not out against the West Indies and 42 versus England, and Brits reached sixth position with scores of 57 not out against the West Indies and 13 against England.

Some other movements over the past week:

ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings:

• Suzie Bates of New Zealand is up two places to seventh.
• Harmanpreet Kaur of India is up four places to joint-12^th.
• England’s Dannie Wyatt is up two places to joint-18^th.
• England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt is up one place to joint-18^th.
• England’s Amy Jones is up two places to 27^th.
• Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali is up one place to 35^th.
• Pakistan’s Nida Dar is up three places to 37^th.
• South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp is up six places to 44^th.
• Pakistan’s Fatima Sana is up 12 places to 63^rd.

ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings:

• Sarah Glenn of England is up one place to third.
• Ashleigh Gardner of Australia is up three places to sixth.
• Rabeya Khan of Bangladesh is up one place to ninth.
• Megan Schutt of Australia is up nine places to 10^th.
• Charlie Dean of England is up two places to 11^th.
• Nonkululeko Mlaba of South Africa is up nine places to 13^th.
• Annabell Sutherland of Australia is up two places to 18^th.
• Lea Tuhuhu of New Zealand is up five places to 22nd.
• Sugandika Kumari of Sri Lanka is up one place to 25^th.
• Marizanne Kapp of South Africa is up eight places to 26^th.
• Shreyanka Patil of India is up nine places to 29^th.
• Sophie Molineux of Australia is up 20 places to 40^th.
• Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka is up five places to 42nd.
• Fahima Khatun of Bangladesh is up 13 places to 45^th.

ICC Women’s T20I All-Rounders’ Rankings:

• Amelia Kerr of New Zealand is up one place to third.
• Marizanne Kapp of South Africa is up two places to seventh.
• Fatima Sana of Pakistan is up six places to 12^th.