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In a remarkable quirk of global cricket rankings, Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland has ascended to the summit of the ICC Women’s T20I bowling charts—despite not playing a single international game in recent weeks. The 23-year-old, whose last appearance in the format came back in March, has climbed past Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal and Deepti Sharma of India to become the top ranked T20I bowler, highlighting both her prior excellence and the dynamic nature of cricket’s ranking system.
How did Annabel Sutherland achieve no. 1 ranking in T20Is?
Sutherland’s rise comes down to a dramatic shift in the performances of her nearest rivals, rather than any on-field exploits of her own. Holding a rating of 736, set after her impressive four-wicket haul against New Zealand in March, Sutherland watched from the sidelines as others faltered. In Pakistan’s recent series against Ireland, Sadia Iqbal took only three wickets across three matches, losing valuable rating points and dropping to joint-second. India’s Deepti Sharma, despite a strong showing, fell just short, now sharing the No.2 spot with Iqbal at 732 points.
ICC’s player rankings operate on a rolling basis, updated after every international game. Players retain their rating points when not participating, leaving the door open for non-playing stars to rise as active players lose ground. Sutherland’s consistent excellence earlier this year—most notably her latest outing against New Zealand—provided a stable foundation for this unexpected leap.
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A meteoric rise for Sutherland in star-studded Australian lineup
Sutherland’s ascent underlines the challenges facing even Australia’s brightest talents. Her career has been defined by moments of brilliance amid intense competition for places in a world-class Australian squad. Despite limited opportunities, she has continued to seize every chance, recording historic Test and ODI centuries and taking crucial wickets in high-pressure situations. Domestically, Sutherland has been a fixture for Victoria and Melbourne Stars, but internationally she often competes for a starting spot amongst the likes of Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt.
Her journey began with a breakout performance at Trent Bridge in June 2023, when she became the youngest Australian woman to score a Test century since Belinda Clark in 1991. She followed it up with a double century against South Africa in February 2024 and further ODI centuries against Ireland, India and New Zealand, cementing her reputation as one of cricket’s most promising multi-format stars.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
