In a significant boost for Pakistani women cricketers Bismah Maroof, Sadia Iqbal, and Umm-e-Hani have risen in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Rankings, which were released this Tuesday.
The Pakistani women cricketers including former captain Bismah Maroof moved up one place to rank 27th in the batting rankings, demonstrating her consistent performance in the international arena. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal saw a notable jump from 23rd to 17th in the bowling rankings, after an impressive haul of three wickets in the first two matches against the West Indies. Meanwhile, Umm-e-Hani made a significant leap of nine places to reach the 60th spot, underscoring her growing impact in Pakistan’s bowling lineup.
The rankings update also highlighted other international players who made substantial gains. For instance, West Indies’ Connell rose three places to 25th, Henry ascended six spots to 36th, and Sri Lanka’s Kavisha Dilhari climbed seven places to 48th in the bowling rankings.
At the pinnacle of the batting rankings, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu reclaimed the top spot following a spectacular innings of 195 not out in the third ODI against South Africa in Potchefstroom. This match-winning knock, which is the highest score in a successful chase in Women’s ODIs, propelled her team to level the ICC Women’s Championship Series at 1-1. This performance allowed Athapaththu to overtake England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt, marking her return to a position she last held in July 2023.
South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, another former number one, moved up two places to third after her unbeaten 184 contributed to setting a formidable total of 301 for five in the same match.
Additionally, West Indies captain Hayley Mathews made significant strides in both batting and all-rounders’ rankings. Her outstanding double of 140 not out and three wickets for 17 in the first match of their series against Pakistan in Karachi helped her climb seven places to 11th among batters and to second among all-rounders.
Further gains were seen among other players such as former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor, who moved up two places to 18th, Sri Lanka’s Nilakshi de Silva, and the West Indies pair of Shemaine Campbell and Chinelle Henry, all of whom moved up in the batting rankings.
These movements in the ICC rankings not only reflect individual successes but also indicate the shifting dynamics of women’s international cricket, showcasing emerging talents and seasoned players who continue to make their mark on the sport. For Pakistan, the rise of its players in the rankings is a positive sign of development and competitiveness in women’s cricket, promising a brighter future for the team on the global stage.
