Shafali Verma Retains Top Spot In ICC Women's T20I Rankings; Scotland Player Enters In Top 10 Batters For The First Time

India‘s young batting sensation, Shafali Verma has retained her numero uno spot at the top of ICC WT20I batting rankings in the latest ranking released. The 17-year-old took the world by storm in the Women’s T20 World Cup last year, helping the side to the final, and claiming the top position for the first time.

Then Australia opener Beth Mooney replaced Shafali Verma. However, the Indian opener reclaimed the spot with scores of 23, 47, and 60, which came at a strike rate of 156.63, in the home T20I series against South Africa.

Overall, the right-hander has amassed 617 runs in 22 T20Is at a brilliant strike rate of 148.31; her impressive career so far in the shortest format has earned her deals from The Hundred in England and the WBBL in Australia. Shafali Verma has also been given her maiden call-up to the national ODI and Test squad for the upcoming tour to England.

Kathryn Bryce become the first Scotland player to reach the top 10 of the T20I batting ranking

Scotland all-rounder and captain, Kathryn Bryce, has become the first player from Scotland – male or female – to enter the top 10 T20I rankings for batters or bowlers.

Against Ireland, she finished as the leading run-scorer from her team in a 4-match T20I series in Belfast which the hosts won 3-1. The 23-year-old has jumped 9 positions to reach the 10th position among batters in the T20I rankings. She is also third on the all-rounder’s rankings.

In the bowling department, too, Kathryn Bryce leapfrogged 35 places to 31st – her career-best – among bowlers following her five wickets in the series.

Kathryn’s sister Sarah Bryce was ranked 14th among T20I women batters in August 2019. Among men, off-spinner Majid Haq had reached 13th position among bowlers in November 2013, which was the previous highest ranking for any Scotland player.

She has moved up 35 places to 31st among bowlers after grabbing five wickets in the series. She is up 10 places to third among all-rounders.

Other players who make gains in the latest rankings were Ireland’s Gaby Lewis, who was the leading scorer in the series with 116 runs, jumping 7 places to the 27th position, and her teammate Shauna Kavanagh (up by 60 places to 103rd) in the batting chart.

In the bowlers’ rankings, Orla Prendergast (up 51 places to 65th) and captain Laura Delany (up by 2 places to 78th) are the Ireland players to gain in the latest update. Scotland bowlers Katherine Fraser (up by 16 places to 61st), Abtaha Maqsood (up by 22 places to 72nd), Katie McGill (up by 23 places to 76th), and Priyanaz Chatterji (up by three places to 99th) have also made improvements in their rankings.

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