Chamari rising as players from Sri Lanka and New Zealand make rankings gains

A host of players from Sri Lanka and New Zealand have been the big winners on the latest ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings.

While rain saw no result possible between the two sides in the series decider in Dunedin on Tuesday, performances across the remainder of the series meant a large group of players made giant strides on the updated player rankings.

Veteran Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was adjudged Player of the Series for her 87 runs and the 35-year-old was rewarded on the rankings as she made one spot to move to sixth overall on the latest list for T20I batters.

Australia opener Beth Mooney remains out in front in this category, with Athapaththu’s less experienced teammate Nilakshika de Silva (up three places to equal 52nd) also making some ground on the back of her 32 runs across the first two games of the series against the White Ferns.

Brooke Halliday is the big mover on the T20I batter rankings from a New Zealand perspective, with the left-hander gaining 17 places to improve to 67th following her impressive innings of 46* in the second match of the series in Christchurch.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone maintains her place at the top of the T20I bowler rankings, but a quartet of Sri Lankan players have made some ground.

Inoshi Priyadharshani (up two places to 19th), Sugandika Kumari (up seven spots to 22nd) and Kavisha Dilhari (up three rungs to 34th) all make eye-catching gains inside the top 50, while experienced teammate and right-arm seamer Achini Kulasuriya improves four rungs to equal 56th following her tidy spell of 1/11 in Christchurch. New Zealand pacer Jess Kerr improves three spots to move to 42nd.

West Indies superstar Hayley Matthews retains her place as the No.1 ranked all-rounder in T20I cricket, with New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates gaining 13 places this week to move to equal 35th.

(ICC)