ICC Women’s ODI rankings: Smriti Mandhana returns to top spot after five years; replaces Laura Wolvaardt | Cricket News
Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana has returned to the top position in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings, displacing South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt who held the position for over six months. Mandhana, who last held the number one spot in November 2019, now leads with 727 rating points, while Wolvaardt shares the second position with England’s Nat Silver-Brunt at 719 points.The change in rankings occurred after Wolvaardt’s performance in the ongoing series against West Indies, where she scored 27 and 28 runs in the first two ODIs. This dip in form provided the opportunity for Mandhana to reclaim her position at the summit of women’s ODI batting rankings.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The three-match series between South Africa and West Indies has witnessed several players making significant moves in the rankings. South Africa’s Tazmin Brits has advanced five places to the 27th position following her half-century in the first match of the series.
The series, currently tied at 1-1, saw South Africa recover from an initial four-wicket loss to secure a 40-run victory in the second match in Barbados. Former South African captain Suné Luus made notable progress in both batting and bowling rankings, climbing seven places to 42nd position in both lists after her impressive innings of 76 in the second match.West Indies opener Qiana Joseph has made substantial progress in the rankings, jumping 12 positions to share the 67th place following her innings of 60 in the first match. The bowling rankings have also seen movement, with spinners Afy Fletcher and Nonkululeko Mlaba making significant advances.Fletcher and Mlaba, who each claimed four wickets in the second match, have progressed to 19th and 23rd positions respectively. Fletcher moved up four places while Mlaba gained six positions in the bowlers’ rankings.
