South African Opener Lizelle Lee Attains Number One Spot In The Latest ICC Women's ODI Rankings

After a string of sterling performances in the ongoing ODI series against India, South Africa’s opener Lizelle Lee has, for the second time in her career, reached the summit of the ICC Women’s ODI rankings.

Lizelle Lee is the only ever Proteas woman to attain the top of the ODI rankings – having reached their previously in June 2018 after scoring 92* and 117 versus England despite her team losing that series.

However, this time, against India, the right-hander has ensured that South Africa wins the series, with one game left as the visitors have an unassailable lead of 3-1.

Scores of 83*, 4, 132*, and 69 have seen Lizelle Lee climb from the 11th position, at the start of the series, to now the numero uno spot. She pushed England’s Tammy Beaumont to the second position.

Punam Raut jumps 8 positions to sit on 18th

Amongst Indians, Punam Raut, who also has scored two half-centuries and a century in the series, has leapfrogged 8 batters to sit at the 18th position. The other three Indian batters in the top 20 are opener Smriti Mandhana (7th), ODI captain Mithali Raj (9th), and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur (15th).

Senior India pacer, Jhulan Goswami, who is the leading wicket-taker in the series after 4 matches with eight wickets, is at the 5th position in ICC Women’s Bowlers Rankings; the bowler’s chart is been led by Australian spinner, Jess Jonassen, followed by her teammate pacer Megan Schutt.

South African premier pacer, Shabnim Ismail, who has taken 7 scalps in 4 matches against India, moves up to the 3rd spot, replacing her teammate, Marizanne Kapp, who has had a lacklustre series so far. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari  Gayakwad is the third leading wicket-taker in the series after 4 games, and she has gained four slots to No. 18.

In the all-rounder’s rankings, the tally led by Australia’s Ellyse Perry, only 1 Indian – Deepti Sharma – features in the top 10.

The fifth and last game of the series will be played on Wednesday; the ODI series will be followed by a 3-match T20I series commencing on Saturday.

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