Athapaththu Rises in All-Rounders Rankings Amid Sri Lanka's Challenges
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Synopsis
Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu has improved her standing in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, climbing two positions in the all-rounders list due to her performances against New Zealand. Despite her team's struggles, Athapaththu's contributions highlight her all-round capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- Chamari Athapaththu climbs to joint seventh in the ICC rankings.
- She surpassed Sophie Devine despite Sri Lanka's 2-0 defeat.
- The T20I series against New Zealand starts on March 14.
- Deepti Sharma moves to fifth in the all-rounders rankings.
- Ash Gardner remains the top all-rounder in the rankings.
Dubai, March 11 (NationPress): Sri Lanka’s experienced all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu has made notable progress in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, advancing two positions in the all-rounders category after her performances in the recently wrapped series against New Zealand.
Athapaththu, a long-time pillar of Sri Lanka’s women’s cricket, has ascended to joint seventh in the rankings, sharing this position with Australia’s Annabel Sutherland.
The left-handed batter surpassed New Zealand’s seasoned all-rounder Sophie Devine despite Sri Lanka's challenges during the series, which ended in a 2-0 defeat. Athapaththu made a contribution of 25 runs and took three wickets across the three ODIs, demonstrating her all-round skills even under tough circumstances.
The T20I series is set to commence on March 14 in Christchurch, with the second match scheduled for March 16 at the same venue. The series will conclude in Dunedin with the final T20I on March 18.
In other news, India’s Deepti Sharma also made a significant leap in the rankings, surpassing Amelia Kerr to claim the fifth position among all-rounders. Deepti’s reliable performances with both bat and ball have established her as one of the most dependable players in the format.
Ash Gardner, the Australian spinner, continues to lead the all-rounders rankings, holding her top position. As the captain of the Gujarat Giants in the WPL, she has already achieved three half-centuries. Marizanne Kapp and Hayley Matthews are closely trailing in second and third place, while Ashes star Alana King has secured a top 10 position.
Meanwhile, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt has moved ahead of Athapaththu, claiming the third spot in the batting rankings. South Africa's captain Laura Wolvaardt remains comfortably in the lead in the batting rankings with 773 rating points, significantly ahead of Smriti Mandhana, who holds 738 points.
