Spinner Sadia Iqbal became the first player from Pakistan to top the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20I rankings. She briefly overtook long-time number-one England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone. Conversely, her achievement serves as a major milestone for Pakistani women’s cricket.
Pakistan’s left-arm spinner, Sadia Iqbal, made history by becoming the first Pakistani player to top the ICC Women’s T20I rankings. This marked a significant milestone for Pakistan in women’s cricket, though her reign at the top was short-lived.
Sadia’s rise came during the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. After a stellar performance in a Group A match against Sri Lanka, where she took 3 wickets for 17 runs. She equaled the points of England’s Sophie Ecclestone, the long-time top-ranked bowler. Sadia’s performance earned her 757 rating points, putting her on par with Ecclestone, who had held the No. 1 spot since February 2020.
Ecclestone’s grip on the top ranking slipped after she went wicketless in a match against Bangladesh, dropping to second place with 750 points. This opened the door for Sadia to momentarily claim the top spot. However, just two days later, Ecclestone regained her title after a Player-of-the-Match performance against South Africa, where she took 2 wickets for 15 runs.
Sadia’s short stay at the top of the rankings reflects her outstanding progress this year. With 28 wickets in 17 matches, she leads all bowlers in T20Is for 2024. This achievement also makes her the second Pakistani woman to top an ICC player ranking. She followed former captain Sana Mir, who held the top position in the ODI bowling rankings in 2018-2019.
Some other movements over the past week:
ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings:
Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali is up one place to 35th.
The Pakistan’s Nida Dar is up three places to 37th.
Pakistan’s Fatima Sana is up 12 places to 63rd.
ICC Women’s T20I All-Rounders’ Rankings:
Fatima Sana of Pakistan is up six places to 12th
While her stint at the top of the rankings may have been short-lived, Sadia Iqbal’s achievement serves as a major milestone for Pakistani women’s cricket. It inspires young girls to pursue their dreams in the sport and showcases the talent and potential within the country.
