Dubai: The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, starting Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, promises not only a fierce competition among teams but also a tight race for individual supremacy in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings. As teams prepare to contend for the world championship title on October 20, individual players will also vie for top positions in batting, bowling, and all-rounder rankings.
According to International Cricket Council, with just 22 points separating the top five batters, the tournament could see significant shifts in player standings. Australian Beth Mooney currently leads the batting rankings with 757 points, closely followed by fellow Australian Tahlia McGrath and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews. The top spots are highly contested, with players like India’s Smriti Mandhana and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt also within striking distance.
The bowling rankings are equally competitive, with England’s Sophie Ecclestone barely ahead of India’s Deepti Sharma by two points, while Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal and another English player, Sarah Glenn, remain close contenders. Remarkably, the dominance of spinners is clear as they occupy 13 of the top 15 spots in the bowling rankings.
In the all-rounder category, Hayley Matthews from the West Indies holds a significant lead with a 109-point advantage over Australia’s Ash Gardner. The top six all-rounders represent six different nations, highlighting the global spread of talent participating in this year’s T20 World Cup.
As the tournament unfolds, the performances of these top-ranked players will be crucial in determining not only the outcome of the matches but also the shifts in the ICC rankings. Fans and spectators can expect thrilling displays of skill and competition as players strive to excel on the world stage.