India’s allrounder Deepti Sharma has reached a career milestone by ascending to the top of the T20I bowling rankings for the first time. Her impressive performance, taking 1 for 20 in India’s victory over Sri Lanka in the first T20I at Visakhapatnam, propelled her past Annabel Sutherland to claim the number one position.
The Visakhapatnam match was notable not just for Deepti’s bowling, but also for her teammate Jemimah Rodrigues, who climbed five spots in the T20I batting rankings to reach ninth place. Rodrigues’ unbeaten 69 off 44 deliveries anchored India’s successful chase and placed her alongside Smriti Mandhana (third) and Shafali Verma (tenth) among the top ten batters.
Deepti’s rise highlights her consistent impact with the ball, combining precision and control to restrict opposition scoring. Her new ranking is a reflection of sustained performances across multiple series, underscoring her importance to India’s T20I setup.
Rodrigues’ ascent in the batting charts further demonstrates the strength of India’s top order. Her innings in Visakhapatnam showcased both timing and power, proving she can anchor the chase while maintaining an aggressive scoring rate. This complements Mandhana and Verma, giving India a formidable top-three in the format.
While India celebrated achievements in T20Is, the ODI landscape saw a shift as South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt reclaimed the top spot in the batting rankings. Wolvaardt overtook Mandhana, who slipped to second, after a stellar series against Ireland on home soil.
Wolvaardt’s performance in the ODI series was extraordinary, scoring back-to-back centuries to guide South Africa to a 3-0 series sweep. She finished as the leading run-scorer and was named Player of the Series, cementing her dominance at the crease.
Her aggregate of 255 runs at an astonishing average of 127.50 included a commanding 124 in South Africa’s total of 375 during the second ODI. She followed this with an unbeaten 100 in the third match as her team successfully chased 206 runs, showcasing her ability to perform under both pressure and expectation.
The rise of Deepti Sharma in T20Is and Wolvaardt in ODIs highlights the depth of talent emerging in women’s cricket. Both players have combined technical skill with consistency to establish themselves at the top of their respective formats.
India’s T20I squad benefits from a balanced combination of experience and youth, with Deepti leading the bowling attack and Rodrigues providing firepower in the middle order. This duo, alongside Mandhana and Verma, creates a strong foundation for upcoming tournaments.
Meanwhile, Wolvaardt’s dominance underlines South Africa’s growing strength in ODIs. Her ability to convert starts into big scores consistently gives her side a reliable anchor and serves as a benchmark for other batters aspiring to the top of the rankings.
Overall, these ranking changes reflect the evolving landscape of international women’s cricket, with standout individual performances translating into global recognition and impacting team fortunes across formats.
