Women’s T20 rankings: Richa Ghosh breaks into top-20, Renuka Thakur reaches career-best fifth spot

Richa Ghosha became the fifth Indian batter in the top 20 with Smriti Mandhana (third), Shafali Verma (10th), Jemimah Rodrigues (12th) and Harmanpreet Kaur (13th) in the list.

India’s new-ball bowler Renuka Thakur’s haul of five for 15 against England has lifted her seven places to a career-best fifth position. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

India wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh on Tuesday jumped 16 places to move into the top 20 of the latest ICC Women’s T20I rankings for the first time after some good scores in the ongoing shortest format World Cup in South Africa.

Ghosh’s unbeaten knocks of 41 against the West Indies and 47 against England in the Women’s T20 World Cup over the past week took her to a career-best 20th position. She became the fifth Indian in the top 20 with Smriti Mandhana (third), Shafali Verma (10th), Jemimah Rodrigues (12th) and Harmanpreet Kaur (13th) ahead of her in the list.

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr and Muneeba Ali of Pakistan are other batters to achieve career-best rankings.

Kerr’s match-winning 66 against Sri Lanka at Paarl has helped her to a career-best 16th position while Pakistan’s left-handed opener Muneeba has risen 10 places to a career-best 64th after becoming the first woman from her country to score a T20I century.

Kerr has also gained three places to reach 13th place among bowlers.

Australia captain Meg Lanning, who scored 48 not out versus Bangladesh, is up one place to fourth while former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates has moved up two places to sixth after scores of 81 not out against Bangladesh and 56 against Sri Lanka.

South Africa’s Tazmin Brits (up six places to 21st), England’s Amy Jones (up two places to 26th), Ireland’s Orla Prendergast (up eight places to 38th) and Sri Lanka’s Harshitha Samarawickrama (up four places to 39th) are among others to move up the batting rankings.

Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar has progressed two places to 37th and has also advanced seven places to 16th among bowlers.

In the bowling rankings, India’s new-ball bowler Renuka Thakur’s haul of five for 15 against England has lifted her seven places to a career-best fifth position.

New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tuhuhu, who has moved from 10th to seventh, has broken the 700-rating points barrier for the first time after taking eight wickets in four matches.

Australia’s 19-year-old fast bowler Darcie Brown has entered the top 10 for the first time with her economical bowling while West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is also in the top 10 after taking two for 14 against Pakistan.

Other bowlers to advance include spinners Sadia Iqbal of Pakistan (up 13 places to 20th), Karishma Ramharack of the West Indies (up 44 places to 28th) and Eden Carson of New Zealand (up 14 places to 37th).

The all-rounders’ list sees Matthews and Amelia Kerr move up a slot each to take second and joint-third positions, respectively, while Nida is fifth after moving up two places.