India spinner Deepti drops two places to hold 4th spot in latest ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): India spinner Deepti Sharma has dropped two places to hold the fourth spot in the latest ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings.

Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal became the first from her country to briefly top the ICC Women’s T20I Rankings, overtaking long-time number one Sophie Ecclestone before finishing second among bowlers in the weekly update released on Tuesday.

Ecclestone had started the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the top spot, a position she had held since February 2020. Sadia drew level with her on 757 rating points after taking three for 17 against Sri Lanka in a Group A match on Thursday.

Ecclestone slipped to second place with 750 points two days later after going wicketless against Bangladesh in a Group B match. However, Sadia’s reign at the top lasted only two days, as Ecclestone regained the number one spot after taking two for 15 against South Africa, winning the Player of the Match award and ending the neck-and-neck battle between the two left-arm spinners for the week.

Sadia became only the second Pakistan player to top the women’s rankings. Former captain Sana Mir had topped the ODI bowling rankings in 2018-2019.

Other notable movements followed the England-South Africa match, with South Africa openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits both achieving career-best-equalling rankings, moving up two places each.

Captain Wolvaardt reached third position after scores of 52 not out against the West Indies and 42 against England, while Brits rose to sixth position with scores of 57 not out against the West Indies and 13 against England.