Indians make massive gain in latest ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings

• Career-best positions for Deepti and Mlaba; Mooney, Lanning and Bismah among notable gainers in ODI rankings

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur is among the India batters to rise in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings after her team won their first two matches of the ongoing tri-series in South Africa in preparation of next month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Kaur’s 35-ball 56 not out against the West Indies has lifted her three places to 11^th position while all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s knock of 33 in the preceding win against South Africa has taken her to a career-best 25^th position in the latest weekly update. Deepti has also moved up one place to second among all-rounders.

India opener Smriti Mandhana, who was named Player of the Match against the Windies for striking 74 not out off 51 balls, remains the top-ranked batter from her country in third position, earning nine rating points to reach 736 points. Mandhana was ranked second in September last year and is now 24 points behind Beth Mooney in the list led by Tahlia McGrath with 814 points.

South Africa captain Sune Luus’s scores of 29 and 30 in two matches see her move from 47^th to 45^th position. Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp have also progressed.

In the T20I bowling rankings, South Africa’s left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba has moved four places to a career-best fourth position after grabbing three wickets in two matches. India’s Sneh Rana is in the top 10 while Ayabonga Khaka (up four places to 16^th), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (up 10 places to 18^th) and Radha Yadav (up 12 places to 28^th) are the other notable gainers.

In the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, Australia batters Beth Mooney and Meg Lanning have advanced two places each to second and fifth positions, respectively, after helping Australia complete a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan in their ICC Women’s Championship series. Mooney was named Player of the Series after scores of 57 not out and 133 in the second and third match, while Lanning scored 67 and 72 the two times she batted.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof has gained three slots to reach 22^nd position after aggregating 93 runs in the series, while Nida Dar has also gained three places to reach 32^nd position.

In the bowling rankings, Australia spinner Ashleigh Gardner has moved up seven places to 13^th after finishing with five wickets in the series and Ellyse Perry is up one place to 12^th. Alana King (up eight places to 32^nd) and Darcie Brown (up two places to 40^th) have also gained.

For Pakistan, Diana Baig (up one place to 23^rd) and Fatima Sana (up three places to 29^th) are the main gainers in the bowling rankings.