Smriti Mandhana Climbs To Top Spot In ICC Women’s ODI Rankings, Surpasses Laura Wolvaardt

India opener Smriti Mandhana has surged to the top of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after a strong showing in the just-concluded three-match ODI series against Australia. The left-handed batter accumulated 790 points, edging out South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt to claim the pinnacle spot in the global list.

Mandhana’s performances in Australia included crucial contributions, notably a 58 in the opening match and another solid 31, which proved enough to bolster her overall rating despite India losing all three ODIs to the hosts. Her consistent run accumulation across the series helped her overtake the competition and become the world’s top-ranked ODI batter.

While the Indian team endured a 3-0 series defeat, individual successes gave fans something to cheer. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur climbed back into the top 10 batters, thanks to a string of valuable knocks, and Deepti Sharma featured among the leading all-rounders.

Making a century in her final ODI, Alyssa Healy signed off in fourth place on the rankings (744), wedged between Beth Mooney (749) and Ashleigh Gardner (724). India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is the other Indian in top 10 at ninth position, while Jemimah Rodrigues is on 12th.

Alana King Tops The Bowling Rankings

On the bowling front, Australia’s Alana King ascended to No. 1 in the ODI bowling rankings, ending Sophie Ecclestone’s long reign at the top. Other Australians like Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner also found themselves high in the standings following the series.

Deepti Sharma is the lone Indian in top 10 among bowlers at the 10th spot. Across the week King led both the teams with seven wickets at an average of 16.71, claiming 4/33 form 10 overs in the third ODI, helping the hosts to a 185-run victory. It propelled her to her first No.1 rating, with her rating of 775 also a career high.

King is joined by four Australian bowlers in the top eight – Gardner (third), Annabel Sutherland (fifth), Megan Schutt (seventh) and Kim Garth (eighth).

After losing two of the three T20Is on home soil, Australia bounced back to claim the three ODIs as part of the multi-format series, and found success through Mooney, Gardner and Healy, the latter calling time on her ODI career.