Is Mandhana on the verge of claiming the No. 1 T20I ranking after her century against England?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Smriti Mandhana rises to a career-best ranking.
- Her century against England was pivotal for India's victory.
- Upcoming matches present a chance for her to claim the top spot.
- Other players like Shafali Verma are also climbing the ranks.
- The competition among bowlers is intensifying.
Dubai, July 1 (NationPress) India’s acting captain Smriti Mandhana has achieved significant progress in the newest ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings, climbing to a personal best rating following her remarkable century against England.
Mandhana delivered a stunning performance, scoring 112 runs off just 62 balls, which paved the way for a commanding 97-run victory. This remarkable feat propelled her up one spot to third place, earning her a career-high of 771 rating points, now only 23 points behind the top-ranked player, Beth Mooney.
With a rigorous schedule ahead for India, Mandhana has a prime opportunity to seize the top spot across both white-ball formats.
Her opening partner, Shafali Verma, also climbed the batting rankings, moving to 13th place after contributing 20 runs in the same match. Additionally, Harleen Deol made a notable entry into the rankings, landing at equal 86th position after a swift 43 runs.
On the bowling side, Lauren Bell, who led England's attack, made a significant leap in the rankings. Her impressive performance of taking three wickets in Nottingham elevated her to a career-best fourth position on the T20I bowlers' list.
England's captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, also made strides, scoring 66 runs off 42 balls and gaining 20 rating points to reach a career-high total of 663, maintaining her position at ninth.
Currently, at the pinnacle of the T20I bowling rankings, Sadia Iqbal from Pakistan holds the No. 1 bowler title. However, the competition is intensifying, with only 44 rating points separating the top ten players. India's Shree Charani entered the rankings at 450th position after claiming four wickets on her debut.
The recently concluded T20I series between the West Indies and South Africa also brought uplifting news for various Proteas players. Rising talent Miane Smit ascended to 76th place in the T20I batter rankings following her impressive half-century in the final match at Cave Hill. Former captain Sune Luus jumped nine spots to 31st among T20I all-rounders due to her commendable all-round performance.