Indian star batter Smriti Mandhana has climbed back to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Women’s ODI rankings, giving fans the perfect boost ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup. The tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and just like the men, women cricketers too are constantly tracked and ranked by the ICC as they take on international challenges.
Smriti Mandhana Reclaims No. 1 ODI Batter Position
Smriti Mandhana’s classy half-century against Australia in the opening ODI at Mullanpur was enough to push her back to the top. She scored 58 runs at the top of the order, earning 7 valuable rating points and moving 4 points clear of England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt.
This isn’t the first time Mandhana has been at the top. Back in 2019, she became the world’s No. 1 ODI batter for the first time, and since then, she has been in and out of the spot on multiple occasions.
Indian Teammates Also Make Gains
Smriti Mandhana wasn’t the only one making headlines. Her teammates Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol, who both struck fifties in the same game, also rose in the rankings. Rawal moved up to 42nd place, while Deol climbed to 43rd. With all three Indian top-order batters scoring half-centuries in the first match, it was a strong showing despite the result.
Australian Players Shine in Rankings
Australia’s batters also enjoyed a big boost. Left-hander Beth Mooney jumped three places to fifth after her unbeaten 77. Annabel Sutherland, who scored a brilliant hundred, climbed four places to 25th, sharing the same spot with her teammate Phoebe Litchfield, who rocketed 13 places up the rankings.
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Among the bowlers, Kim Garth reached a new career-high, now ranked fourth, while Alana King is up to fifth. India’s Sneh Rana also improved to 13th overall. Meanwhile, Ash Gardner continues to hold on to her position as the No. 1 all-rounder in the world.
Australia Take the Series Lead
The series opener saw Australia pick up a commanding win in their return to Indian soil. With Alyssa Healy back as skipper, the Aussies will be eyeing another successful World Cup defense later this year.
Batting first, India put up 281/7, thanks to half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Rawal, and Deol. But the Australian batting lineup proved too strong. Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, and Annabel Sutherland all notched up stunning fifties to guide their team to a comfortable victory.
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