Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jun 2: England spinner Linsey Smith has achieved a career milestone by rising to the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings for the first time, completing a remarkable comeback ahead of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup.
The 31-year-old left-arm spinner displaced Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal from the No. 1 position after a series of impressive performances against New Zealand and India. Smith’s ascent follows her Player of the Series-winning display against the White Ferns and another influential spell in England’s recent T20I victory over India in Bristol.
The achievement marks a significant turnaround in Smith’s international career. After making her debut for England in 2018, she spent several years on the fringes of the national setup before re-establishing herself as a regular member of the T20I squad late last year. She now heads into the World Cup as the highest-ranked bowler in the format.
England's dominance in the rankings is also reflected through the rise of other bowlers. Fast bowler Lauren Bell climbed to third place, while stand-in captain Charlie Dean moved up two spots to fifth in the bowling standings.
India’s young spinner Shree Charani emerged as one of the biggest gainers in the latest rankings update. Her three-wicket haul against England propelled her seven places up the list to fourth position, highlighting the growing competition among the world's leading T20 bowlers. With just 39 rating points separating the top 10, the rankings battle remains tightly contested ahead of the global tournament.
In the batting charts, Australian opener Georgia Voll retained her place at the summit, maintaining her lead despite strong challenges from several players outside the top 10.
India batter Jemimah Rodrigues climbed four places to share 11th position following a productive series with the bat. Meanwhile, Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast made one of the biggest leaps, surging 10 places to joint 16th after her unbeaten 71-run knock against the West Indies in Dublin, an innings that played a crucial role in securing a memorable victory for Ireland.
Prendergast also strengthened her standing among the world's leading all-rounders, moving up one spot to sixth in the rankings.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty continued her steady rise by advancing four places to 20th in the batting rankings, while Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali climbed two positions to share 32nd place.
With the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on June 12, the latest rankings provide a snapshot of the form and momentum players are carrying into the tournament. As teams prepare for the race to the title, the battle for top individual honours is also shaping up to be one of the major storylines of the competition.