Cricket: Deepti Sharma Climbs to World No. 1 in ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings

by Geoffrey Ejiga

image Cricket: Deepti Sharma Climbs to World No. 1 in ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings
Deepti Sharma takes another step forward and up in the Women’s cricket after climbing to world No.1 in the T20I Bowling Rankings. Join us as we discuss that achievement, along with many more and what it means for India on the international stage.

Deepti Surges in ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings

The versatile Indian star, who was recently honoured as the Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, has now secured the top spot in the T20I bowling leaderboard for the first time.

India’s premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma has achieved a significant career milestone by climbing to the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings. This achievement marks the first time the off-spinner has occupied the world No. 1 position in the shortest format of the game.

According to the updated rankings issued on Tuesday, Sharma’s clinical figures of 1/20 during the first T20I of the ongoing home series against Sri Lanka provided the necessary points to leapfrog Australian pacer Annabel Sutherland. The vet now leads the table with 737 rating points, and holds just a narrow one-point advantage over her Australian counterpart.

Consistency Ahead of the Olympics

Deepti’s rise underlines her remarkable consistency over a sustained period. Across 130 T20I appearances for India, she has claimed 148 wickets, while maintaining an impressive average of 18.99 and a disciplined economy rate of 6.11.

Her achievement especially comes at a crucial time for the sport, with T20 cricket officially included in the program for the LA 2028 Olympics. As the Games prepare to welcome cricket back after a long hiatus, Sharma’s status as a world leader underscores India’s growing strength in the format.

However, the gap in the national team remains significant, with Renuka Singh Thakur, the next highest-ranked Indian bowler, currently ranking 14th in the world. Deepti also leads in other categories, as she holds the third spot in the T20I all-rounder rankings, trailing only Hayley Matthews of the West Indies and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr.

This follows her sensational form in the 50-over game, where she was recently crowned Player of the Tournament at the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. In the ODI format, she remains a dual threat, ranking fifth among bowlers and fourth among all-rounders.

Indian Representation Across the Global Standings

The latest ICC update put the spotlight on several other Indian successes in the women’s game. In the T20I batting department, Smriti Mandhana remains a steady presence at world No. 3.

Meanwhile, Jemimah Rodrigues has enjoyed a significant boost following her Player of the Match performance in Visakhapatnam against Sri Lanka. Her contributions on Sunday propelled her up five places, breaking into the top ten at world No. 9.

The dominance of Indian cricket extends into the men’s rankings as well. Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy have successfully defended their positions as the world’s top-ranked T20I batter and bowler, respectively.

Furthermore, Tilak Varma, who played a decisive role in India’s recent Asia Cup final victory over Pakistan, is currently fourth in the batting rankings. Hardik Pandya continues to lead the charge for Indian all-rounders, occupying the fourth spot globally.

In terms of overall team standings, the Indian men’s squad maintains its grip on the world No. 1 position, while the women’s team holds strong as the third-best side in the world.