India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana has once again become the No.1 batter in ICC Women’s ODI rankings, securing 735 rating points. Her fluent knock of 58 runs off 63 balls against Australia in the opening ODI at Mullanpur gave her the edge over England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, who slipped to second place with 731 points.
This marks Mandhana’s return to the top spot for the second time in her career, having first achieved the feat in 2019 and earlier in June 2025.
With the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 set to begin on September 30 in India and Sri Lanka, Mandhana’s rise to No.1 is a timely confidence booster for Team India. Her ability to deliver in high-pressure matches has made her one of the most reliable batters in world cricket.
Despite her half-century, India lost the opening ODI against Australia by eight wickets. However, her individual brilliance ensured she gained valuable ranking points.
Mandhana remains the only Indian in the top 10, but there were positive updates for other batters:
- Pratika Rawal, who scored a composed 64 runs in the same match, climbed four spots to 42nd.
- Harleen Deol, following her 54-run knock, moved up to 43rd position.
- Richa Ghosh also gained three spots, now standing at 36th place.
However, Harmanpreet Kaur slipped to 12th and Jemimah Rodrigues to 15th in the latest rankings.
Australian Players Shine Too
Australia’s batting strength also reflected in the updated ICC charts:
- Beth Mooney jumped three places to reach No.5.
- Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield, both of whom scored fifties in the first ODI, made massive gains to jointly rank 25th.
On the bowling front:
- Kim Garth (4th) and Alana King (5th) reached their career-best rankings.
- India’s Sneh Rana moved up five spots to 13th, while England’s Sophie Ecclestone continues to rule at the top.
Smriti Mandhana’s return to the No.1 ODI batter ranking is not just a personal milestone but also a massive morale boost for India ahead of the 2025 Women’s World Cup. With her in top form and young Indian batters like Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol stepping up, Team India looks set for an exciting campaign.
