Smriti Mandhana becomes ODI batter with ICC number 1 ranked for the first time in six years

Star of the Indian women’s team, Smriti Mandhana, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings for the first time since 2019, ending a six-year drought. The Indian opener, long regarded as one of the most elegant batters in the women’s game, moved ahead of South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt in the latest rankings update by the ICC on Tuesday.

Mandhana’s rise comes on the back of a string of impressive performances, most notably a match-winning century in the final of India’s recent tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo. Her 11th ODI hundred propelled her past Wolvaardt, who slipped after scores of 27 and 28 in South Africa’s recent series against the West Indies. England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Wolvaardt now jointly occupy second place with 719 rating points.

List of Top 10 ranked ICC Women’s ODI batters

The No. 1 tag comes after a remarkable run for Mandhana, who was also named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2024. She finished the year with 747 runs in 13 matches at an average of 57.86 and a strike rate nearing 95. In a record-setting run, Mandhana notched four centuries—the most by any batter in women’s ODIs in a single calendar year—and crossed the 100-boundary mark.

While she has consistently hovered around the top 10 in recent years, this is her first stint at the pinnacle since the start of 2019, breaking a long drought. Now, India would hope that the ‘Queen of Indian cricket’ continues her authority, especially with the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup coming up in a couple of months.