Dubai, June 23 (IANS) India’s left-arm spinner Sree Charani has reached the summit of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings for the first time after a remarkable run in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with the latest rankings update rewarding her match-winning performances across the tournament.

The 21-year-old rose to the top of the global standings after emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the competition, displacing England spinner Linsey Smith from the No.1 position.

Charani’s rise marks another milestone in a career that has rapidly gained pace since her international debut just over a year ago. Her standout displays in England have transformed her into India’s premier bowling weapon, with the youngster claiming 10 wickets in only three World Cup appearances.

The decisive push came through successive match-winning spells. After registering her second four-wicket haul in international cricket against the Netherlands in Leeds, Charani followed it up with a three-wicket effort against South Africa in Manchester. Those performances earned her enough rating points to move ahead of Smith and become the highest-ranked T20I bowler in women’s cricket.

While Charani celebrated a historic achievement, England’s Linsey Smith slipped two places to third after a relatively quiet start to the World Cup. Her teammate Charlie Dean moved into second position, courtesy of a five-wicket haul across England’s opening three fixtures.

The latest rankings update also reflected significant movement among several leading bowlers. Former world No.1 Sophie Ecclestone climbed four places to fourth, while West Indies captain Hayley Matthews surged nine spots to 11th. Australia’s Kim Garth recorded one of the biggest jumps, advancing 25 positions to enter the top 20. Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana improved to 25th, while Ireland’s Orla Prendergast also made notable gains, reaching 26th.

The batting rankings, however, witnessed little upheaval at the summit. Australian opener Georgia Voll retained the No. 1 position despite a modest return of 62 runs across three World Cup innings. Fellow Australian Beth Mooney strengthened her hold on second place, narrowing the gap to the leader.

Among the batters making progress were India’s Shafali Verma, who climbed to sixth, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who moved up one place to enter the top 10. New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine also moved up to 11th, while Prendergast continued her all-round rise by jumping four places to 13th. Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty also featured among the notable movers after breaking into the top 20.

The all-rounders’ rankings remained unchanged at the top, with Hayley Matthews continuing to lead the category ahead of New Zealand’s Melie Kerr. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu advanced to third, while Prendergast and Fatima Sana each moved up one place to occupy fifth and sixth, respectively. South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp also enjoyed a rewarding week, climbing five places to ninth after producing a Player of the Match performance against India.

–IANS

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