England fast bowler Lauren Bell and India’s stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana have risen significantly in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings following outstanding performances in the first match of their five-match series in Nottingham.
Bell has risen two slots to fourth place among bowlers after taking three wickets, while Mandhana, who smashed an electrifying 62-ball 112 to set up the visiting Indian team’s 97-run victory, has risen one slot to third place and a career-best 771 ratings points.
Mandhana smashed 15 fours and three sixes in her career-best effort to set up a mammoth total of 210 for 5, which proved far beyond England’s reach as the hosts suffered their biggest T20I defeat, losing by 97 runs after being dismissed for 113 in 14.5 overs.
Aside from Mandhana’s rampaging knock, India had to thank left-arm spinner Shree Charani, who grabbed four wickets on debut to move into the rankings at 450th place.
Charani surrendered only 12 runs in 3.5 overs, as she dismissed skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone, and Bell.
Meanwhile, Mandhana’s opening partner Shafali Verma has advanced one spot to 13th after scoring 20 from 22 with three fours. Harleen Deol re-entered the rankings at 86th after scoring 43 off 23 balls.
England skipper Sciver-Brunt is another to benefit from the new weekly update, having top-scored for her team with 66 off 42 deliveries. She has gained 20 rating points, bringing her total to a career high of 663 while remaining in ninth place.
England and India will play the second T20I of the three-match series at the County Ground in Bristol on July 1, followed by the third and fourth at the Kennington Oval in London on July 4 and Old Trafford in Manchester on July 9. On July 12, the fifth and final game will take place in Birmingham’s Edbaston. The T20I series will be followed by three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) at Southampton, London, and Chester-le-Street on July 16-19 and 22.
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