Mithali Raj pips Lanning as No. 1 ODI batsman

India’s ODI captain Mithali Raj superseded Meg Lanning to claim the top spot on the ICC rankings for batsmen in women’s ODIs. Lanning missed out on the ODI leg of the ongoing multi-format Women’s Ashes as part of her rehabilitation plan following her shoulder surgery and slipped from first to fourth position.

After the conclusion of the World Cup, Raj trailed Lanning by 10 points and led Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry by 12. While India haven’t played international cricket since the final of the tournament on July 23, Lanning’s absence from the three-match ODI series, which is also Australia’s first ODI assignment in the second cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship, meant she dropped three places. Perry and New Zealand’s Amy Satterthwaite climbed one place each to claim the second and third spots respectively.

England wicketkeeper-batsman Sarah Taylor, too, made the move up, climbing two places to the 10th rank on the back of the 129 runs she scored in the series.

Among ODI bowlers, Australia medium-pacer Megan Schutt moved 13 places to a career-best fourth position courtesy the 10 wickets – including two four-wicket hauls – she bagged in the series. England seamer Anya Shrubsole, who was adjudged Player of the Match in the World Cup final in July, gained one slot to reach a career-best sixth position.

Australia’s 2-1 victory over world champions England helped them regain the top ranking after England had climbed to No. 1 after the annual update earlier in October. New Zealand, who finished fifth in the World Cup, are set to play their first ODI series since the global event, starting October 31 against Pakistan in the UAE. They are currently ranked third with 118 points, leading India by two points.

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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