Sciver-Brunt returns to top ICC rankings

Nat Sciver-Brunt reclaimed the No. 1 spot in ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after her 98 against India. Harmanpreet, Jemimah, and Orla also saw gains, while Ireland dominated Zimbabwe in both ODIs and T20Is, sparking major ranking shifts.

HYDERABAD: England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt returns to the top of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after scoring 98 runs in the decider of the three-match series against India in Durham.

The all-rounder stabilized the innings after the early fall of the wickets of the openers in what ended as a losing effort, as India won the match by 13 runs and took the series 2-1.

Sciver-Brunt edged Smriti Mandhana by three points, taking the No. 1 position for the third time in her career. She was previously number one between July 2023 and April 2024 and also between June and December 2024.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s dazzling and match-winning century (102 off 84 balls) has her advancing 10 slots to 11th place in the batters’ list.

Her teammate Jemimah Rodrigues has moved up two places to 13th, while Richa Gosh has climbed nine slots to 39th and a career-best rating of 516 points.

Other movements in this week’s update include the series between Ireland and Zimbabwe in Belfast where the hosts won the two-match series 2-0.

Player of the Series, Orla Prendergast, has elevated 12 slots to a career-best, joint-22nd after knocks of 50 and 67. She has also climbed 10 slots to 33rd among the bowlers to a personal-best rating of 447 after taking two wickets for 20 in the first match and breaks into the top 10 of the all-rounders’ list from 13th place last week.

There were other significant gains for Ireland’s players, including captain, Gaby Lewis, who moved one place to 17th in the batters’ list, while Amy Hunter moved up two slots to 28th.

Zimbabwe’s captain, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano’s scores of 48 and 56 has brought her to a career-best 40th position and rating points of 513, while teammate Modester Mupachiwana has progressed by two slots to 53rd.

This week’s update also includes the second and third fixtures of the three-match T20I series between Ireland and Zimbabwe in Dublin where the visitors were once again whitewashed.

Lewis starred with the bat, scoring 154 runs in the series to be named the Player of the Series. Her innings of 67 and 87 in the second and third matches saw her advance to a joint-14th place with India’s Rodrigues.

Cara Murray advanced three places to 45th in the bowlers’ list thanks to her hauls of three for 19 and three for 17 in the first two matches. She ended the series as the leading wicket taker with seven scalps to her name.