Shafali Verma Soars to Sixth in ICC Women's T20I Rankings: A Look at India's Rising Stars

Shafali Verma's Impressive Rise

In Dubai, Indian cricket sensation Shafali Verma has made headlines by securing the sixth spot in the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings, thanks to a series of stellar performances. The 21-year-old, who once held the top position, has surged up four ranks following her remarkable innings of 69 not out from just 34 balls in the second T20I against Sri Lanka. She followed this with two more impressive scores of 79 runs in the third and fourth matches in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has bounced back from a slump, scoring a stylish 80 in the fourth T20I, maintaining her third-place ranking. However, Jemimah Rodrigues has slipped to the tenth position after a slight dip in form.

On the bowling front, veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma continues to dominate, holding the top spot in the bowlers' rankings. Her teammate Renuka Singh Thakur has also made significant strides, moving up eight places to joint-sixth after a match-winning performance of four wickets for 21 runs in the third match, which India won by eight wickets, clinching the series.

Additionally, India's left-arm spinners Shree Charani and Vaishnavi Sharma have shown progress in the rankings, contributing to India's 4-0 lead in the five-match series. Charani has jumped 17 spots to 52nd, while Vaishnavi Sharma has made an impressive leap of 390 places to reach 124th in her debut international series, as the team prepares for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 set to take place in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5.

For Sri Lanka, left-handed opener Hasini Perera has made a notable advancement, climbing 114 places to 71st after scoring 22, 25, and 33 in the three matches this week. Kavisha Dilhari has also improved her ranking, moving up three spots to 79th.