Linsey Smith climbs to career-best No. 2 in ICC Women's T20I rankings after England's series win
Synopsis
England's Linsey Smith has shot up 38 places to a career-best No. 2 in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings — leapfrogging her own teammate Sophie Ecclestone — after a Player-of-the-Series performance against New Zealand. Simultaneously, Hayley Matthews has reclaimed the all-rounder throne she held for nearly two-and-a-half years. With the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the rankings table is reshaping fast.
Key Takeaways
Linsey Smith climbed 38 places to a career-best No.
2 in ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings after taking 6 wickets in England's 2-1 series win over New Zealand.
Sophie Ecclestone slipped to third as Smith surged past her; England now have four bowlers in the top seven.
Eight spinners feature in the top 10 of the bowling rankings, with only Lauren Bell and Annabel Sutherland as seamers.
Sophie Devine returned to the batting top 10 for the first time in two years , scoring 132 runs in the series.
Hayley Matthews reclaimed the No.
1 all-rounder spot, overtaking Amelia Kerr — Matthews had held the ranking from October 2023 to March 2026 .
Alice Capsey hit a career-best unbeaten 74 in Derby , rising nine spots to 45th in batting.
England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith has surged 38 places to a career-best second position in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings, following a standout performance in England's 2-1 series victory over New Zealand women ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has reclaimed the No. 1 all-rounder spot, overtaking New Zealand's Amelia Kerr.
Smith's Breakthrough Series
Smith was named Player of the Series after claiming six wickets across the three matches, highlighted by figures of 3/25 in the second T20I at Canterbury. Her rise pushed fellow England spinner Sophie Ecclestone down to third place in the rankings.
England pace bowler Lauren Bell, who missed the final T20I after taking three wickets in the opening two games, holds fourth in the bowling charts. Stand-in captain Charlie Dean strengthened her grip on seventh following a five-wicket series haul. England now boast four bowlers inside the top seven of the T20I rankings — a remarkable concentration of talent at the top.
Spin Dominates the Bowling Charts
Spin continues to rule the ICC Women's T20I bowling rankings, with eight spinners featuring in the top 10. Bell and Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland are the only seamers in that group, underscoring how crucial slow bowling has become in the women's format ahead of the World Cup.
For New Zealand, left-arm pacer Bree Illing moved up 12 places to 45th after claiming four wickets in the series, while spinner Nensi Patel jumped 34 spots to joint-71st.
Batting Rankings: Devine Returns, Australia Still on Top
In the batting charts, former New Zealand captain Sophie Devine returned to the top 10 for the first time in two years, scoring 132 runs in the series — including knocks of 45 and 87 in the opening two matches. Her return was set against a backdrop of limited movement among top-ranked batters, partly due to the absence of England duo Natalie Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. New Zealand stars Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates had a quiet series with the bat.
Australia continue to dominate the batting rankings, with Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney holding the top two spots. Tahlia McGrath remains sixth, while Phoebe Litchfield is joint-13th.
New Zealand batter Maddy Green climbed eight places to 39th after scoring 93 runs, highlighted by a 56-run knock in the second T20I, where she shared a national-record fifth-wicket partnership of 159 with Devine after New Zealand had slumped to 11/4.
England's Maia Bouchier moved from 40th to 34th, while Alice Capsey rose nine spots to 45th after scoring 99 runs in the series, including a career-best unbeaten 74 in England's successful chase of 137 in Derby.
Matthews Reclaims All-Rounder Crown
Hayley Matthews has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Women's T20I All-Rounder Rankings, displacing Amelia Kerr. Matthews had previously held the top ranking for nearly two-and-a-half years — from October 2023 to March 2026 — before Kerr replaced her earlier this year. Her return to the summit reinforces her status as one of the most consistent match-winners in the women's game heading into the World Cup.
With the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 approaching, these rankings shifts will sharpen selection debates and team strategies across the competing nations.
Point of View
However, is Matthews reclaiming the all-rounder crown: Kerr's brief reign masked how dominant the West Indies captain had been for over two years, and her return to No. 1 signals that Kerr's quiet series with the bat may be a form concern worth watching. Australia's continued lock on the top two batting positions, despite playing no part in this series, is a reminder of how wide the gap remains between the Australians and the chasing pack heading into the World Cup.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many places did Linsey Smith climb in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings?
Linsey Smith climbed 38 places to reach a career-best second position in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings. She earned the jump after being named Player of the Series in England's 2-1 win over New Zealand, taking six wickets across three matches.
Who is the current No. 1 in the ICC Women's T20I All-Rounder Rankings?
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC Women's T20I All-Rounder Rankings, overtaking New Zealand's Amelia Kerr. Matthews had previously held the top ranking from October 2023 to March 2026 before Kerr replaced her.
How did Sophie Devine perform in the New Zealand vs England T20I series?
Sophie Devine scored 132 runs in the series, including knocks of 45 and 87 in the opening two matches, which was enough to return her to the batting top 10 for the first time in two years. She also shared a national-record fifth-wicket partnership of 159 with Maddy Green in the second T20I.
Which team dominates the ICC Women's T20I Batting Rankings?
Australia continue to dominate the batting rankings, with Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney holding the top two spots. Tahlia McGrath is sixth and Phoebe Litchfield is joint-13th, giving Australia a commanding presence across the top of the charts.
Why do spinners dominate the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings?
Eight of the top 10 bowlers in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings are spinners, reflecting a broader trend in the women's format where slow bowling consistently yields wickets on a variety of pitches. Only Lauren Bell and Annabel Sutherland represent the seamers in that group.
