Mithali Raj has reached the number one spot among batters for the Ninth Time

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 20 July 2021

Mithali Raj, the captain of the Indian women's ODI team, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings for batters. This occurred following the most recent weekly ranking update, which took into account performances in the last three matches of the five-match series between the West Indies and Pakistan. Mithali's rise was aided by the fall in the rankings of West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor, who dropped 30 points after scoring 49 and 21 in her two batting appearances.

Mithali has been the number one batter for the ninth time since she first held the position more than 16 years ago.

Taylor, who reclaimed the number one spot last week with an unbeaten century in the first match of the series, has also lost the top spot among all-rounders to Australia's Ellyse Perry and slipped three places among bowlers after going wicketless in the three matches.

Deandra Dottin (up three places to 25th), Kyshona Knight (up 11 places to 42nd), and Britney Cooper (up 22 places to 81st) are the West Indies batters to move up the rankings, while off-spinner Anisa Mohammed's six wickets propel her to 23rd among bowlers. Hayley Matthew (up two spots to 32nd) and Chinelle Henry (up 14 spots to 67th) have also risen in the rankings.

Omaima Sohail's scores of 62, 61, and 34 have helped her jump 19 places to a career-best 36th position for Pakistan, while batters Sidra Ameen (up five places to 62nd) and Muneeba Ali (up 20 places to 68th) have made progress.

Left-arm spinner Anam Amin has risen 12 places to 48th among bowlers, while Fatima Sana, who took five wickets in the previous match, has risen 19 places to 66th on the list, which is led by Australia's left-arm spinner Jess Jonnasen.

India's left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana has risen to a career-best equaling third position in the MRF Tyres ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings after slamming a fine 70 in the final match of their series against England, the only match played in the format over the past week.

Other gains for India players include Deepti Sharma, who has risen one spot to 36th place, and Richa Ghosh, a teenaged wicketkeeper who has risen nine spots to 72nd place among batters.

England opener Danielle Wyatt's match-winning 89 not out has moved her up four spots to 17th among batters, while Katherine Brunt has climbed four spots to seventh after accounting for openers Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Natalie Sciver has risen five places to joint-17th in the bowling rankings.