India Women captain Mithali Raj has reclaimed her number one position in the latest Women’s ODI Player Rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday. Mithali leapfrogged South African Lizelle Lee after leading her side in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England Women.
Mithali exhibited her top form, scoring 206 runs in three games at a phenomenal average of 103. She smashed half-century in all three games.
In the series opener, Mithali hit 72 runs, followed by 59 in the second match. She then concluded the series with an unbeaten 75 in the final encounter.
Mithali’s incredible effort from the willow helped her climb seven spots to acquire the top position with 762 rating points. Overall, it was the eighth time in her long international career that she grabbed the number one position.
💥 @M_Raj03 is the new No.1 💥
In the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings for batting, the India skipper climbs to the 🔝 of the table.
Full list: https://t.co/KjDYT8qgqn pic.twitter.com/2HIEC49U5i
— ICC (@ICC) July 6, 2021
English spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who finished the three-match series against India as the highest wicket-taker (8), gained four places to reach her career-best sixth position in the list of bowlers headed by Australian Jess Jonassen.
Senior Indian bowler Jhulan Goswami has maintained her fifth spot after taking three wickets in three games against England.
🏴 England's star spinner @Sophecc19 moves up four spots to No.6 in this week's @MRFWorldwide ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings update for bowling.
Full list: https://t.co/KjDYT8qgqn pic.twitter.com/xn2KCikVB7
— ICC (@ICC) July 6, 2021
Among other Indian players, young sensation Shafali Verma advanced 49 places to reach the 71st position. Shafali’s scores of 44 and 19 in the last two ODIs of the series helped her register a huge gain in the rankings. On the bowling front, all-rounder Deepti Sharma has moved up one place to 12th after taking a three-wicket haul in the third and final contest.
