Sophie Ecclestone Holds Top Spot as Glenn and Dean Excel in Women's T20I Rankings
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Dubai, Dec 3 (NationPress) England's Sophie Ecclestone has retained her position as the top-ranked T20I bowler, although her margin has been notably narrowed following the team's 3-0 series victory over South Africa in the latest ICC Women’s Player Rankings.
Ecclestone, who secured only two wickets throughout the series, now possesses a narrow 23-point lead over her teammate Sarah Glenn and Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal, both of whom are tied in second place. Glenn’s remarkable five-wicket haul in the series allowed her to ascend three positions in the rankings, showcasing her emergence as a significant contender for the top position.
Charlie Dean, who finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series, surged six spots to break into the top 10, now sitting at ninth. Additionally, Lauren Bell also made strides, moving up five places to secure the 15th overall position after her valuable bowling contributions.
While the Australian pair, Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath, continue to reign supreme in the T20I batting rankings, England’s batters have narrowed the gap with impressive performances in South Africa.
All-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt advanced two spots to 12th after amassing 126 runs in the series. Opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge made an even more significant leap, climbing three spots to 14th with her total of 142 runs. Maia Bouchier also shone brightly, rising to 25th place, further underlining the strength of England’s batting lineup.
In the ICC Women’s Championship, Bangladesh's 3-0 triumph over Ireland has revitalized their aspirations for automatic qualification for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and caused notable shifts in the ODI rankings. Player of the Series Sharmin Akhter Supta re-entered the rankings at 43rd after scoring 211 runs with an outstanding average of 70.33. Her teammates Fargana Hoque and Nigar Sultana climbed to 16th and 28th, respectively, reinforcing Bangladesh’s position among the top ODI batters.
On the bowling side, Nahida Akter continued her ascent, gaining three spots to settle at seventh after claiming six wickets in the series. Sultana Khatun (up 23 places to 31st) and Rabeya (up six places to 40th) also demonstrated their impact, showcasing the depth of Bangladesh's bowling strength.
Despite their series loss, Ireland had some positives to celebrate in the rankings. Amy Hunter (32nd) and Laura Delany (39th) made progress in the ODI batting rankings, while Arlene Kelly and Orla Prendergast showed improvement as bowlers and all-rounders. Kelly advanced three places to 27th among bowlers, whereas Prendergast climbed four spots to 23rd in the all-rounders' category.
