Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal Rises to Top Spot in ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings

Pakistan‘s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal achieved a significant milestone by briefly becoming the world’s top-ranked bowler in the ICC Women’s T20 International Rankings. Iqbal reached the peak after an impressive performance against Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, where she claimed three wickets for 17 runs.

Sadia Iqbal tied with England’s Sophie Ecclestone, who had been the long-standing number one since February 2020, both accumulating 757 rating points. Ecclestone slipped to second place after a wicketless outing against Bangladesh in Group B, allowing Iqbal to seize the top spot.

Iqbal’s reign at the summit was short-lived, lasting only two days. Ecclestone reclaimed her position with a two-for-15 performance against South Africa, earning the Player of the Match award and securing her top ranking with 750 points. This competition between the two exceptional left-arm spinners highlighted the continued strength in women’s cricket at the ICC tournament.

Sadia Iqbal became only the second Pakistani woman to achieve the number one bowler ranking in T20I cricket, following in the footsteps of former captain Sana Mir, who topped the ODI bowling rankings in 2018-2019. Mir is currently present at the tournament as a commentator and continues to mentor Iqbal, offering advice and sharing her insights on game strategies and conditions.

Iqbal’s progress reflects a broader ambition within the Pakistan team, which has shown an evolving mindset and approach towards a more aggressive and proactive style of play. Iqbal attributes her success to situational awareness and the ability to adapt her bowling to various conditions, as evidenced by her consistent performance across different venues in the UAE.

The tournament has also seen other notable movements in the ICC Women’s T20I Rankings, particularly after the match between England and South Africa. South African openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits both achieved career-best rankings, rising to third and sixth positions, respectively, owing to their impressive performances.