ICC ODI rankings | Smriti Mandhana becomes top ranked batter in women’s cricket

Indian women’s team opener, Smriti Mandhana, jumped to number one in the rankings for women in the latest ICC ODI rankings update which was released on Saturday. Mandhana scored her fourth ODI century and an unbeaten 90 in the three-match series against New Zealand. The Indian cricketer currently tops the table ahead of Australian duo - Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning.

Mandhana, who is India’s leading run scorer in the limited-overs format, has scored two centuries and eight half-centuries in 15 games since the beginning of 2018. Apart from her, the other Indian to make big strides India youngster Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored an unbeaten 81 in the first ODI against New Zealand. Jemimah made a massive jump of 64 places to take number 61 spot in the ODI rankings. The 18-year-old has played just seven ODIs since she made her India debut in March last year.

In the bowlers’ rankings, Indian spinners Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma moved up five places each to sit at number eight and nine on the list respectively. Poonam took six wickets in the series against New Zealand, while Deepti picked up four. Fellow spinner Ekta Bisht also climbed up nine places to number 13 after she picked up five wickets on the New Zealand tour.

Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, whose 3/23 in the second game against the Kiwis set up the series win against the hosts, climbed one place up to number four and is the highest-ranked Indian bowler in the top five.