Smriti Mandhana, the elegant southpaw and one of the brightest stars in women’s cricket, has once again stamped her authority on the international stage. With a sublime half-century against Australia in the first ODI at New Chandigarh, Mandhana has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings – her fourth stint at the top, a feat that underlines her consistency and class.
Mandhana’s composed 58 off 63 balls, laced with six fours and two sixes, may not have been enough to take India over the line, but it did enough to elevate her past England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt in the latest ICC update. The Indian opener first topped the rankings back in January 2019, and this marks her return to the pinnacle, last held in July 2024.
Smriti Mandhana regains the 🔝 spot in the latest ICC Women's ODI ranking with #CWC25 commencing on September 30 👏
— ICC (@ICC) September 16, 2025
More 👉 https://t.co/zFPoE6CP8Y pic.twitter.com/YkUvSt8Ihh
A Ranking Shift Amid Aussie Dominance
Despite Mandhana’s heroics, Australia cruised to an eight-wicket win, with the dominance reflected in the updated ICC rankings. Left-hander Beth Mooney, whose unbeaten 77 off 74 balls anchored the chase, has jumped three spots to No. 5. Rising star Phoebe Litchfield stole the show with a dazzling 88 off 80 balls, earning her the Player of the Match award and a massive 13-place leap to joint-25th. She now shares the spot with Annabel Sutherland, who also impressed with a 54* and moved up four places.
Also Read: Apollo Tyres becomes Team India’s New Jersey sponsor in record deal until 2027
Indian Batters on the Rise
Alongside Mandhana, a few Indian batters saw gains:
- Richa Ghosh: Up to 36th after a gritty 25.
- Pratika Rawal: Climbs to 42nd after her solid 64 off 96.
- Harleen Deol: Jumps to 43rd following her 54 off 57.
Bowling Rankings Shake-Up
The Aussie bowlers had their share of the spotlight too. Kim Garth and Alana King achieved career-best rankings of 4th and 5th, respectively, after taking a wicket each. Annabel Sutherland also moved up two spots to 21st. On the Indian side, Sneha Rana gained five spots to reach 16th in the latest update.
Mandhana Passes Satterthwaite in All-Time ODI Runs
As if reclaiming the top ranking wasn’t enough, Mandhana also etched her name into the history books by surpassing New Zealand’s Amy Satterthwaite to become the seventh-highest run-scorer in Women’s ODI cricket.
In just 106 matches, Mandhana has now amassed 4,646 runs at an average of 46.46, including 11 centuries and 32 fifties. Her best score remains 136, and she achieved this milestone in fewer innings than Satterthwaite (145), who scored 4,639 runs.
At the summit of the all-time list remains Mithali Raj, the Indian legend with 7,805 runs in 232 ODIs at an average of 50.68.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan takes a U-turn after ICC rejects plea, unlikely to boycott now
