India captain Mithali Raj has reclaimed the No 1 spot in the women’s ODI rankings after a gap of more than three years. She was one of the highest scoring batter for India in the recently concluded three-match series against England.
Even though India lost the series 1-2 the captain scored fifties in each of the games.
She scored 72 and 59 in the first two games before guiding India to a 4-wicket victory in the final match with an unbeaten 75, gaining four spots to reach the top of the ladder.
The first time she was ranked No 1 in ODIs was in April 2005 after scoring an unbeaten 91 against New Zealand at the World Cup in Potchefstroom.
England’s Janette Brittin was No 1 for the first time in 1984 and the last time in 1995, while New Zealand’s Debbie Hockley is the only other female batter to have been No.1 more than 10 years apart – first achieving the feat in 1987 and for the final time in 1997.
Big-hitting India opener Shafali Verma’s scores of 44 and 19 in the last two ODIs of the series saw her gain 49 places to reach 71st position while veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami is up four places to 53rd.
In the bowlers’ list, all-rounder Deepti Sharma is up one place to 12th after finishing with figures of 3/47 in the final match.
For England, opener Lauren Winfield-Hill has advanced 14 places to 41st position with scores of 42 and 36 while Sophia Dunkley has soared 80 places to 76th after scoring 73 not out and 28.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone continues her ascent, gaining four places to reach a career-best sixth position among bowlers after returning with figures of three for 33 and two for 36.
Kate Cross’ haul of five for 34 in the second match of the series has helped her reach 18th position from 25th.
Nat Sciver and Sarah Glenn have both moved up one place to reach 22nd and 43rd positions, respectively.
(With PTI Inputs)
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