Smriti Mandhana inches closer to No. 1 Women’s ODI batter

Dubai: India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana is on the brink of reclaiming the ICC Women’s ODI No.1 batter ranking, a position she last held in 2019. Her outstanding form in the recently concluded tri-series featuring South Africa and Sri Lanka has brought her just 11 rating points behind current leader Laura Wolvaardt.

Dominant Batting Display by Mandhana

The 28-year-old Mandhana scored 264 runs in five innings, showcasing her trademark elegance, consistency, and calm under pressure. Her match-winning efforts helped India clinch the tri-series title and moved her up to No.2 in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings.

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Wolvaardt Under Pressure at the Top

While South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt remains at the top of the rankings, her modest total of 86 runs in the same series has left her vulnerable. With Mandhana in top form, a change at the summit of the ODI batting rankings appears imminent.

Indian Teammates Also Climb the Rankings

Several Indian players also made notable gains:

• Jemimah Rodrigues rose five spots to No.15 after contributing valuable runs.
• Sneh Rana, named Player of the Series, took 15 wickets at an average of 14, moving up four places to joint 34th in the ODI Bowler Rankings.
• Deepti Sharma moved up one position to No.5 in the ODI All-Rounder Rankings thanks to her impactful all-round performances.

International Rivals See Ranking Gains

Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu scored 139 runs and climbed two places to joint-seventh in the batting rankings, reinforcing her status as the backbone of her team’s batting lineup.

Chloe Tryon (South Africa)

South African all-rounder Chloe Tryon had a strong series and improved across multiple categories:

• Jumped nine places to 18th in the ODI batter rankings
• Rose three spots to 11th in the all-rounder rankings

Nadine de Klerk (South Africa)

Nadine de Klerk also impressed, moving up to 24th among ODI bowlers and 12th in the all-rounder list, gaining four spots in the latter.