Smriti Mandhana Moves to 3rd in ICC ODI Rankings
This is a significant fillip to her career: Smriti Mandhana, the Indian women’s cricket team vice captain, jumped to the 3rd position in the ICC ODI women’s rankings released on Tuesday. This advancement underlines Mandhana’s fine form and continues to underline her status as one of the top batswomen in international cricket. The move up the order also makes Mandhana the highest-ranked Indian batter in the 50-over format with current rating of 738 points, whose performance got her this elevated position over recent matches. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur is also among top batters at 9th position in the rankings.
Impact on the Rankings and Notable Changes
The rise of Mandhana came as part of a wider change in the ICC ODI rankings, which saw other players make big moves. Some of these changes include Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, dropping from 3rd place to 4th, being displaced by Mandhana. This only shows how competitive and dynamic the Women’s ODI rankings are.
Apart from Mandhana’s progress, there has been progress by other Indian players up the rankings—Nilakshika de Silva, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Kavisha Dilhari have all made ground in the ODI batting rankings. De Silva moved up three places to 32, Samarawickrama eight to 44, and Dilhari four to 50. The movements indicated the start of a growth in depth of talent within Indian women’s cricket.
T20 Rankings and Career Milestones
In the T20 format, Mandhana was able to hold on at 4, which suggests stiff competition. She is a consistent performer who can turn her arm to any form of the game; the fact that she has been able to hold on to a stable ranking goes on to prove. Other players also achieved career milestones in the T20 rankings.
Gaby Lewis of Ireland and Harshitha Samarawickrama of Sri Lanka are both at new career-best positions. The good form of Lewis, which included a match-winning 119 off 75 balls in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, has lifted her to a career-best position of 21st. It is a big milestone for a career graph and underlines her increasing influence on the game.
The same match also saw 65 runs from 44 balls by Samarawickrama, which moved her three places up to 13th rank. This progress epitomizes some of the more exciting performances and a growing influence that she is exuding in international T20 cricket.
The Way Ahead for Indian Women’s Cricket
Moving up to 3rd in ICC ODI rankings brings joy to Mandhana, which is a joyful moment for Indian women’s cricket. Her performance is important for India as she is the vice-captain of the team at the global stage. Her form and consistency matter much as India prepares for upcoming international tournaments and series.
It is underlined further by the progress of other Indian players in the ODI rankings, which shows how strong the Indian women’s team actually is and how much potential the girls have. So this team is much better placed to remain competitive for a longer period at the highest level and stake claims for top honors in international cricket.
The fact that Indian cricketers are doing well and are even improving in both the ODI and T20 formats is an indication of the growing prominence and competitiveness of women’s cricket on an international level. As players like Mandhana and others move on to do well, they are not just raising their respective careers, but aiding in the overall advancement and recognition of women’s cricket.
Conclusion
Smriti Mandhana rising to the 3rd place in ICC ODI rankings reflects class, diligence, and hard work. Among new shining stars on the cricketing horizon, Mandhana represents a breed for which women’s cricket is turning out to be dynamic and changing. While the Indian women’s team continues to perform and achieve, it lays the foundations strong for a successful future ahead and inspires a new generation of cricketers.
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