Mooney returns to rankings summit after T20 World Cup heroics

It just keeps getting better for Beth Mooney, who is now back on top of the world, just as her side Australia is after winning a record seventh ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

This was the second time that Australia's Mooney had won the Player of the Tournament award, after her heroics in the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup. 

After claiming Aramco Player of the Tournament honours in their undefeated and near-flawless ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign, it's now confirmed that the left-hander has returned to top spot in the T20I batter rankings.

The 32-year-old hit 238 runs for the tournament at an average of 47.60, striking at a rate of 142.51. Mooney smashed 64 off 49 balls in the decider against England, laying the platform for Australia's nerve-free run chase. That followed a 61* (off 36 balls) in Australia's semi-final win over the West Indies, coming up clutch in both of the Aussies' knockout games.

Mooney (785 ranking points) has leapfrogged opening partner Georgia Voll who drops down just one placing to 2nd (779 ranking points). 

It is Mooney’s fifth stint as number one, and only Karen Rolton has occupied that spot longer than Mooney, who has spent more than four years on top

Laura Wolvaardt (3rd, 771 points), Hayley Matthews (4th, 754 points) and Smriti Mandhana (5th, 746 points) hold their spots inside the top five.

South Africa's Tazmin Brits (up three spots to 11th) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (up five spots to 16th) were the big movers inside the world's top 20 in batter rankings following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup.

For Sciver-Brunt, her two half-centuries in the T20 World Cup contests against South Africa (75) and Australia (58*) propelled her up the ladder following her return from injury.

India's Sree Charani holds top spot in the T20I bowling rankings after her elite performance at the World Cup, taking 14 wickets from five games and also featuring in the Team of the Tournament alongside Mooney and Sciver-Brunt.

Finalist England still dominates the top 10 bowler rankings, with four of the top seven. Sophie Ecclestone (up one spot to 2nd, 723 ranking points) swaps places with team mate Charlie Dean (down one spot to 3rd, 722 ranking points).  Lauren Bell moves down one spot to 5th (712 ranking points), while Linsey Smith is the fourth English bowler inside the world's top seven (7th, 704 ranking points).

South Africa's fighting performer Marizanne Kapp (up four spots to 10th), who provided her team with key breakthroughs throughout the tournament, enters the top ten. 

Australia pacer Kim Garth, who brough about the key breakthrough of Heather Knight in her team's title triumph at Lord's, moves to the 15th place following a good tournament.

England's Freya Kemp, who provided resistance alongside skipper Sciver-Brunt with a quickfire 44* against Australia in the final, and had also picked Annerie Dercksen's wicket in the semi-final at The Oval, gained big for her all-round efforts in the tournament.

She jumped 31 spots to reach Rank No. 27 in the ICC Women's T20I All-Rounder Rankings.

Higher up, Australia's Ash Gardner swapped places with Fatima Sana to reach at the sixth position.