Rankings re-shuffle as Australia batter claims top billing from teammate
Beth Mooney overtook compatriot Tahlia McGrath at the top of the T20I rankings for batters after a splendid innings against South Africa.
Australia opener Beth Mooney has been rewarded for her strong start to the year by re-claiming her title as the No.1 ranked T20I batter on the latest MRF Tyres ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings.
Mooney has already scored two half centuries for her country in the shortest format of the game in 2024, with her most impressive recent knock coming when she scored a brilliant 72* from just 57 deliveries in a Player of the Match performance against South Africa in Canberra.
That has helped the left-hander regain top spot from teammate Tahlia McGrath on the updated T20I rankings for batters as the race for the premier position intensifies with a host of in-form players making some ground.
McGrath holds on to second place on the rankings following scores of 24 and 23 in the opening two games of Australia's T20I series against South Africa, while Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt remains in third and rises to a new career-high rating after her Player of the Match heroics in the second clash of the series.
Wolvaardt's South African teammate Tazmin Brits also claims a new career-best rating and improves three spots to sixth on the latest T20I rankings for batters following knocks of 59* and 41 against Australia.
Ireland duo Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis also make some ground on the updated T20I rankings for batters courtesy of strong performances in their ongoing series against Zimbabwe, with Hunter jumping 21 places to equal 18th and a new career-high rating after unbeaten knocks of 101* and 77* in consecutive matches.
Lewis contributed decent hauls of 56 and 44 in those two contests in comparison and rises three places to 23rd as a result.
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone maintains a healthy lead at the top of the T20I rankings for bowlers, but there is a bit of a re-shuffle behind her and inside the top 10 following the latest update.
South Africa spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba drops three places to fifth after one wicket from two games against Australia, with India's Deepti Sharma (equal second), Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal (equal second) and England's Sarah Glenn (fourth) all rising one spot as a result.
There is also some joy for Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, with the young Australia pacer Annabel Sutherland rising six places to 34th on the latest T20I rankings for bowlers and the South Africa veteran jumping five spots to 40th.
There is no change within the top 10 of the latest T20I rankings for all-rounders behind West Indies star Hayley Matthews, although there is some movement just outside with Australia star Ellyse Perry improving four places to 11th following a pair of solid showings against South Africa.
Ireland skipper Laura Delany moves up three places to 14th, while Zimbabwe teenager Kelis Ndhlovu moves up five spots to 17 on the same list following her half-century in the second game against the Irish.