Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal has returned to the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings, reclaiming the No.1 position after strong performances in Pakistan’s recent three-match T20I series against South Africa.
Iqbal moved ahead of Australia’s Annabel Sutherland and India’s Deepti Sharma to regain the top ranking. The left-arm spinner finished as the joint leading wicket-taker in the series with five wickets.
Her standout performance came in the final match in Benoni, where she took 3 for 18. That spell lifted her two places in the rankings and secured her return to No.1.
Iqbal first reached the top position toward the end of 2024 and spent additional time at No.1 last year before Sutherland reclaimed the spot last month.
There was more positive news for Pakistan in the latest rankings update. Team captain Fatima Sana climbed 31 places to equal 28th in the T20I batting rankings and moved up five spots to sixth in the T20I all-rounders list.
Fatima’s rise follows her Player of the Match performance in the series finale against South Africa. She scored an unbeaten 47 off 30 balls and also took two important wickets, helping Pakistan secure the victory.
One of her wickets was South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt. Despite that dismissal, Wolvaardt gained one place in the T20I batting rankings and now sits fourth overall.
Meanwhile, several Indian bowlers also made gains after the opening match of their T20I series in Australia. Renuka Singh moved up six places to fifth, Arundhati Reddy climbed 19 spots to equal 16th, and Shree Charani advanced eight places to 39th.
T20I Bowlers Rankings
Team
Player
Rating
PAK
Sadia Iqbal
743
IND
Deepti Sharma
729
ENG
Sophie Ecclestone
727
AUS
Annabel Sutherland
721
IND
Renuka Thakur
719
ENG
Lauren Bell
714
SA
Nonkululeko Mlaba
704
ENG
Charlie Dean
703
PAK
Nashra Sandhu
702
WI
Afy Fletcher
687
