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Sri Lanka‘s esteemed leader, Chamari Athapaththu, has once again claimed the zenith of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings, courtesy of her dazzling exhibition of an unbeaten 195 runs in the third ODI against South Africa.
Chamari Athapaththu regains top spot
This remarkable innings not only propelled her team to victory but also squared the closely contested ICC Women’s Championship Series at 1-1. Athapaththu’s ninth ODI century, a record-breaking spectacle as the highest individual score in a successful chase in Women’s ODIs, has vaulted her past England‘s versatile all-rounder, Nat Sciver-Brunt, to seize the coveted top spot. It’s noteworthy that Athapaththu had previously held this prestigious position in July 2023, only to be momentarily eclipsed by the likes of Beth Mooney and later on by Sciver-Brunt.
Rise of Laura Wolvaardt and decline of Smriti Mandhana
Accompanying Athapaththu in her upward trajectory is her South African counterpart, Laura Wolvaardt, who gracefully ascended two places to secure the third position after her unbeaten 184, a contribution of significant magnitude to South Africa’s imposing score over 300 in the third ODI. However, India‘s Smriti Mandhana faced a slight decline, slipping to the fifth position from fourth, while India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, maintained her stance at the ninth position.
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Hayley Mathews shines for West Indies
West Indies captain, Hayley Matthews, etched her name with distinction, courtesy of her stellar double of 140 not out and 3/17 in the opening match of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Pakistan in Karachi. This exceptional performance propelled her seven places up the batting rankings to 11th position and second in the all-rounders’ list.
Among the notable movers in the batting rankings are former captains Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies, ascending two places to 18th and Bismah Maroof of Pakistan, climbing one place to 27th. Additionally, Sri Lanka’s Nilakshi de Silva and the West Indies duo of Shemaine Campbell and Chinelle Henry have also made significant strides in the rankings.
Brilliance in the bowling domain
The bowling domain witnessed its own surge of brilliance, with Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal making a remarkable leap from 23rd to 17th position after a commendable performance, clinching three wickets in the first two matches against the West Indies. Similarly, Sri Lanka spinner Kavisha Dilhari and Pakistan’s Umm-e-Hani have also left an indelible mark, ascending seven places to 48th and nine places to joint 60th, respectively.
Both Afy Fletcher and Chinelle Henry of the West Indies displayed their prowess, making significant strides in the bowling rankings, with Fletcher ascending nine places to 26th and Henry climbing six places to joint 36th. Sophie Ecclestone of England maintained her perch at the first position, while India’s Deepti Sharma occupies the fifth spot.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
