Asian Games bring fresh changes to rankings
Shafali Varma climbed into the top four as South Africa's players posted big gains after the series sweep against Zimbabwe.
The ongoing women's cricket competition at the Asian Games has seen a host of Asian players deliver statement performances and make significant gains in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings.
Close to the top, Shafali Verma has moved into the top four in the T20I batting rankings after a week that saw her score her maiden T20I century, an unbeaten 49-ball hundred against Bangladesh.
Shawaal Zulfiqar, meanwhile, has broken into the top 30, moving up 16 places to 29th with a career-best points tally of 558. Zulfiqar had scored of 25 and 54 in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Asian Games, while fellow Pakistan batter Ayesha Zafar climbed 31 places into 40th with a career-best haul of 489 points. Ayesha had slammed a 71 against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games.
Zafar also rose nine places to 30th in the T20I all-rounder rankings.
In the rankings for T20I bowlers, the Indian duo of Sree Charani and Deepti Sharma continue to occupy the top spots, while fellow teammates Kranti Gaud (57th) and Nandani Sharma (72nd) also made significant gains.
Both players recorded career-best points tallies, climbing 15 and 22 places respectively following impressive performances over the past week.
Elsewhere, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana moved up five places to 24th, while Thailand’s Onnicha Kamchomphu climbed six spots to joint 63rd after a brilliant three-wicket haul against Pakistan.
South Africa’s 5-0 series triumph over Zimbabwe also brought several changes in the rankings.
Anneke Bosch was the leading run-scorer in the series and climbed eight places to 46th and entered the top 50, while youngster Miane Smit enjoyed a breakout series to move up to a career-best joint 53rd place.
Zimbabwe’s Nyasha Gwanzura made a significant jump of 28 places and reached 87th and broke into the top 100 in the T20I bowling rankings. Annerie Dercksen (22nd), meanwhile, impressed with both bat and ball, achieving a career-best points tally of 179 in the T20I all-rounder rankings.