Deepti Sharma Reaches To Number Three Spot In T20I Rankings

Cricket Image for Deepti Sharma Reaches To Number Three Spot In T20I Rankings (Image Source: Google)

India women's team allrounder Deepti Sharma has moved to a career-best third position in the latest ICC T20I Rankings for bowlers with her exceptional performance in the Asia Cup, currently underway in Bangladesh.

The 25-year-old off-spinner picked up 3/27 against Pakistan, 2/13 against Bangladesh and 2/10 versus Thailand.

Sharma's rise has seen her go past West Indies' in-form star Hayley Matthews, South African pacer Shabnim Ismail and Australia's Megan Schutt in the rankings. However, despite her fine form, two English players remain ahead of Sharma in the rankings, with Sarah Glenn and Sophie Ecclestone in second and first position respectively.

Sharma's efforts have also seen her inch ahead of Ashleigh Gardner in the All-rounders' Rankings, meaning the Indian now lies in a career-best third spot, behind Matthews and New Zealand cricketer Sophie Devine.

But arguably the most notable shift by an All-rounder has come from New Zealand's Amelia Kerr. The White Ferns player's performance in the recent matches against West Indies, particularly with the bat, means she is a new arrival in the top-10, rising five places to sixth, with Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu the player to slide out of that top-10.

India's Jemimah Rodrigues is the notable mover in the top-10 of the T20I Batting Rankings, jumping ahead of compatriot Shafali Verma and New Zealand legend Suzie Bates to go sixth. Rodrigues hit 76 during India's Asia Cup clash against Sri Lanka at the start of this month, and she continued that fine form in the latest set of matches.

Her rise into sixth position comes courtesy of two standout knocks in the Women's Asia Cup -- an unbeaten 75 off 45 balls to overpower the UAE, and a 24-ball unbeaten 35 that helped see off Bangladesh.

The top five in the T20I Batting Rankings remain unchanged, meaning Australia's Beth Mooney stretches her stay at the top.