Nat Sciver-Brunt crowned as the new No.1 batter in ICC ODI Rankings
England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt is now the top-ranked batter in ODI cricket on the back of a brilliant Ashes series. She scored two consecutive hundreds in England's 2-1 series win over rivals Australia in the three-match WODI series, finishing with 271 runs at an average of 135.50.
Sciver-Brunt overtook Australian batter Beth Mooney to assume the top position with a rating of 803 points, which is the second-highest tally achieved in women's ODI cricket. Australia captain Meg Lanning holds the all-time record with 873 points.
Nat Sciver-Brunt is also the No.1 ranked all-rounder in the format. This year has been a year to remember for the 30-year-old. She played a huge hand in the Mumbai Indians' (MI) triumph in the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) and was equally good in England's historic Ashes series against Australia.
The latest shift in rankings pushes Mooney to the No.3 spot. The left-handed batter scored a fifty in the opening ODI but was not among the runs in the remainder of the series. The Ashes marked her return to cricket after a major injury that cut her WPL campaign short following the opening match.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Atapaththu holds second spot now. The 33-year-old scored an unbeaten 140 and 108 during the ODI series against New Zealand, but also recorded a duck in the second ODI.
In terms of the bowlers' ranking, England's Sophie Ecclestone still leads the pile. The left-arm spinner picked up five wickets in the three-match WODI series during the Ashes.
Smriti Mandhana holds the highest spot in the rankings among Indians; five places below Sciver-Brunt
Smriti Mandhana, who recorded a fifty in the controversial series decider against Bangladesh, is ranked sixth in the latest rankings. The opening batter was ranked seventh and climbed up one spot after the drawn series. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur dropped two places and now occupies the eighth rank.
In terms of bowlers and all-rounders, Deepti Sharma is India's highest-ranked cricketer. She is ranked seventh and ninth in the list for all-rounders and bowlers, respectively. Rajeshwari Gayakwad also finds a place on the list as the 10th ranked bowler in ODI cricket.
How long will Nat Sciver-Brunt hold onto the top spot in ODI cricket? Let us know what you think.