In a remarkable achievement for Indian women’s cricket, opener Smriti Mandhana has surged to the number one spot in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings. The update from Dubai highlights her consistent performances against Australia, propelling her past South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt.
Mandhana climbed one position after scoring a gritty 58 in the first ODI in Brisbane and followed it up with 31 in Hobart. These knocks have cemented her status as the world’s top batter in the 50-over format, a testament to her technical prowess and ability to anchor innings under pressure.
Meanwhile, Australian spinner Alana King has dethroned England’s Sophie Ecclestone to claim the top ranking in bowling. King’s rating of 775 points reflects her dominant week, where she snared seven wickets at an average of 16.71. Her standout spell came in the third ODI against India, taking 4-33 in 10 overs to power Australia to a massive 185-run victory.
Australia’s bowling depth shines through with four representatives in the top eight: Ash Gardner at third, Annabel Sutherland fifth, Megan Schutt seventh, and Kim Garth eighth. This collective strength underpinned their 3-0 whitewash in the ODIs, part of a multi-format series where they bounced back from T20 losses.
Beth Mooney holds third in batting with 749 points, Gardner is fifth at 724, and retiring captain Alyssa Healy signed off with a century in her final ODI, landing at fourth with 744. Despite the series loss, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur vaulted four spots to ninth with scores of 53, 54, and 25, boosting her rating to 652.
In all-rounder rankings, Gardner leads unchallenged at 516, well ahead of Hayley Matthews at 418. Sutherland rose two places to join the top ranks, while young Georgia Voll leaped 23 spots to 34th in batting. These shifts underscore the fierce competition and rising stars in women’s ODI cricket as teams gear up for future challenges.