Asia Cup stars achieve career-high ranks; Smriti Mandhana climbs to 4th spot in ICC T20I rankings

Dubai [UAE], July 30 (ANI): A host of international stars who dominated the recently completed Women's Asia Cup have reached new career-high ratings and made significant progress on the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings issued on Tuesday, with Indian batter Smriti Mandhana climbing up to a career-high ranking of number four among batters. Mandhana top-scored for her side in the Asia Cup final with a superb 60. The left-hander jumped one place to be fourth overall behind Australia's Beth Mooney, according to the ICC. 

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu also reached new heights, moving up three places to sixth on the same list, achieving a career-best rating following her 'Player of the Tournament' heroics at the Asia Cup. Her performance included a whopping 304 runs at an average exceeding 100, along with a century and two fifties.

Pakistan left-hander Muneeba Ali also reached a new career-high rating, rising six places to 35th on the list for T20I batters due to her strong performance at the Asia Cup. Bangladesh's Nigar Sultana (up three spots to 14th), Sri Lanka's Harshitha Samarawickrama (up three places to 20th), and Pakistan's Gull Feroza (up 32 places to 64th) also made significant progress following their decent efforts with the bat during the tournament.

The updated rankings for T20I bowlers tell a similar story. Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal gained a new career-high rating and rose one place to fourth behind England's Sophie Ecclestone, following her eight wickets at the Asia Cup at an average of just 8.37. India's Renuka Singh is another mover inside the top 10 in this category, with the right-armer gaining four places to move up to fifth after taking seven scalps at the Asia Cup at an average of 13.14.

Teammate Radha Yadav climbed seven places to 13th on the same list for T20I bowlers. The Sri Lanka trio of Udeshika Prabodhani (up six spots to equal 24th), Sugandika Kumari (up four places to 27th), and Kavisha Dilhari (up five spots to equal 30th) all made significant progress following their title success. Dilhari also advanced on the T20I All-Rounder rankings, gaining 10 places to improve to 17th overall, trailing West Indies superstar Hayley Matthews, thanks to her strong performances with both bat and ball at the Asia Cup. (ANI)