Deepti Sharma nears pinnacle of WT20I rankings after latest heroics vs England

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Deepti Sharma nears pinnacle of WT20I rankings after latest heroics vs England



Deepti Sharma nears pinnacle of WT20I rankings after latest heroics vs England

India’s star all-rounder Deepti Sharma finds herself on the brink of achieving a career-defining milestone. For the first time ever, the seasoned off-spinner is tantalisingly close to seizing the top spot in the ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings, trailing Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal by a mere eight rating points.

In the latest rankings, Deepti climbed to second place, leapfrogging Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, courtesy of her outstanding three-wicket haul in the third match of India’s five-game T20I series against England.

Remarkably consistent over the past six years, Deepti has been a permanent fixture inside the top 10 of the rankings. Yet, despite her sustained brilliance, the summit has so far eluded her. Now, at 27, she stands on the cusp of rewriting that narrative. With two matches still to play in the England series, the determined spinner has an excellent opportunity to overtake Sadia Iqbal and finally claim the coveted number one position, which stands as a fitting testament to her reliability and impact in the shortest format.

It wasn’t just Deepti making waves in the latest rankings. Her teammate, seamer Arundhati Reddy, also enjoyed a significant surge. Reddy rocketed up 11 places to joint 43rd among T20I bowlers, propelled by her own impressive three-wicket burst against England at The Oval. This rise reflects not only her growing stature but also underscores the depth in India’s bowling arsenal.

England’s bowlers too reaped rewards following their thrilling five-run victory at the iconic London ground. Issy Wong advanced three places to joint 57th, while Lauren Filer soared 21 spots to share 68th position. Fellow pacer Lauren Bell, meanwhile, held firm at fourth, continuing to cement her status among the elite.

On the batting front, Jemimah Rodrigues provided India with more cause for optimism. The elegant right-hander climbed two positions to occupy 12th place after crafting a polished half-century in the second match of the series at Bristol. Her ascent highlights India’s twin strengths in both departments, offering a formidable challenge to opponents in the lead-up to future global tournaments.




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