Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal Tops ICC T20I Bowling Rankings

Pakistan's left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has returned to the pinnacle of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowler Rankings.

The update, released Tuesday, sees Iqbal ascend one place to regain the No. 1 position, a spot she previously held during the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. 

Her rise comes amid changes prompted by England’s Sophie Ecclestone sitting out the recent T20I series against the West Indies. Ecclestone’s absence saw her drop to fourth in the rankings, opening the door for Iqbal to reclaim the top spot.

England's Lauren Bell made notable strides, climbing 13 places to sixth overall. Bell’s performance during the series included seven wickets, earning her significant ranking points. Fellow English bowlers Linsey Smith and Issy Wong also moved up the standings, rising 37 and 32 places respectively to reach 41st and joint 62nd.

In the batting rankings, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews made a strong impression following her Player of the Series performance in England. Matthews scored 177 runs across three matches at an average of 88.50, pushing her up two spots to second in the T20I batter rankings. She now closely trails Australia’s Beth Mooney, who remains in the top position, while Tahlia McGrath dropped to third.

England batters also saw gains. Nat Sciver-Brunt rose five places to ninth, Heather Knight advanced to joint 17th, and Sophia Dunkley moved up to joint 29th after contributing 108 runs across three innings.

Matthews further solidified her standing as the top-ranked T20I all-rounder. In addition to her batting success, she claimed three wickets during the series.