India opener moves up ICC rankings after prolific home series
India opener Shafali Verma climbs to sixth in the ICC Women’s T20I batter rankings after a prolific series vs Sri Lanka, closing in on world No.1 as Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma also make gains.
India’s rising star Shafali Verma is edging closer to reclaiming the No.1 spot in the ICC Women’s T20I Batter Rankings after a stunning run of form in the ongoing home series against Sri Lanka. The 21-year-old has climbed four places to sixth in the latest rankings update, underlining her return to peak confidence and consistency.
Shafali Verma’s blistering run puts world No.1 ranking firmly within reach
Shafali’s surge has been powered by a dominant display at the top of the order. She has piled up 236 runs in the series so far, comfortably leading the charts and nearly doubling the tally of India’s next-best scorer. Back-to-back scores of 69*, 79* and 79 across the second, third and fourth T20Is have showcased her fearless strokeplay and improved shot selection, hallmarks of the form that once made her the world’s top-ranked T20I batter in 2020.
The young opener now sits just 60 rating points behind current No.1 Beth Mooney, making a return to the summit a realistic target if her purple patch continues. Importantly, Shafali has carried her momentum seamlessly from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, where she played a decisive role in India’s historic title win, into the shortest format.
India bowlers surge in latest ICC rankings ahead of T20 World Cup push
India’s gains are not limited to batting. New-ball spearhead Renuka Singh Thakur has also enjoyed a major rise, jumping eight places to joint sixth in the T20I bowling rankings. Her match-winning spell of 4 for 21 in the third T20I proved pivotal in sealing the series and highlighted her value with the swinging new ball.
There have been further positives for the hosts, with left-arm spinner Shree Charani climbing 17 places after a consistent run of wickets, while all-rounder Deepti Sharma continues to hold onto the No.1 position among T20I bowlers.
With India leading the series 4–0 and one match still to play, the rankings rise reflects a side brimming with confidence as preparations begin in earnest for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
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