Deepti Sharma climbs to second spot in ICC Women’s T20I Bowler Rankings, closes in towards pole position

India’s off-spin all-rounder Deepti Sharma has climbed to second spot in the latest ICC T20I bowling rankings announced by cricket’s global governing body on Tuesday.

Deepti, who is leading the wicket-taker’s list in the ongoing Women’s T20I tri-series in South Africa with nine wickets, is now just 26 rating points behind England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone.

Deepti, who now has 737 points, has moved up one spot, while South Africa’s left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, who has picked four wickets in the ongoing tri-series, also climbed a spot to occupy the third position with 732 points.

If the duo continue their form, they could occupy Sophie’s top spot ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in South Africa from February 10-26.

India’s left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad moves up four places to 14th overall on the list for women’s T20I bowlers, while Australia duo of leg-spinners Alana King is up 12 places to 17th and pacer Darcie Brown has jumped eight spots to 26th position.

There was plenty of movement inside the top 10 on the rankings update for bowlers, with Australia pacer Megan Schutt up six places to fifth place and England’s veteran seamer Katherine Sciver-Brunt up two spots to sixth position.

In the batting rankings led by Australia all-rounder Tahlia McGrath, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt improves four places to ninth overall on the back of her strong start to the tri-series against India and the West Indies, while teammate Tazmin Brits jumps 10 spots to 18th after an impressive half-century last week.

West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews has been in good form at the tri-series and the talented all-rounder jumps four places to 22nd overall on the updated T20I rankings for batters. The only change inside the top 10 on the list for all-rounders sees Australia veteran Ellyse Perry take 10th place from McGrath following a stylish half-century against Pakistan.