ICC Rankings: Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshika Silva gain big with career-high ratings

Dubai: Sri Lanka batters Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshika Silva have made significant gains in the latest update of the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka have made an excellent start to their ongoing tri-series at home against India and South Africa, with the island nation having won two of their three matches so far.

Their most recent effort was an impressive three-wicket triumph over India, the first time Sri Lanka had defeated the Subcontinent side in ODIs since 2018 and just the third time in Women’s ODI history.

Harshitha and Nilakshika Silva contributed with half-centuries during that memorable victory, and the pair were rewarded with big gains and a new career-high rating on the updated rankings for ODI batters.

Samarawickrama improved nine places to move to 18th overall while Silva gained a whopping 18 spots to jump up to 25th as South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt holds on to her No.1 ranking as the leading ODI batter in the world.

Wolvaardt’s teammate Tazmin Brits gained 12 places to move to 40th on the back of a century in South Africa’s tri-series opener while in-form India opener Pratika Rawal continues her march up the rankings by improving five spots to 42nd overall and another career-high rating.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone remained out in front of the rankings for ODI bowlers but there have been some gains behind her by a pair of South Africans. Nadine de Klerk jumps three spots to move to 25th, while compatriot Nonkululeko Mlaba rises six places to move to 28th overall following a two-wicket haul against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu claimed three wickets with the ball during her side’s triumph over India and improved 14 places to 29th overall on the bowling rankings while the veteran also gained one spot to climb to seventh on the latest list for ODI all-rounders.

Australia’s Ash Gardner maintained her place as the No.1 ranked all-rounder in 50-over cricket, with South Africa’s Chloe Tryon (up one place to equal 14th) and Sri Lanka’s Kavisha Dilhari (up one spot to equal 17th) also making some ground this week.

IANS