New No. 1s Emerge in Women's Cricket: Sharma Tops Bowling, Wolvaardt Leads Batting

The latest ICC Women’s Player Rankings have two new names at the top. India's Deepti Sharma has risen to become the world’s number-one T20I bowler, while South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt has regained the top spot for ODI batters. These changes, effective December 22-23, 2025, are a direct result of standout performances in recent international matches.

Deepti Sharma’s climb to the summit is a career first. The 28-year-old all-rounder achieved this milestone following India's first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam. Her economical spell of 1 for 20 in four overs, which included a maiden over, was crucial in restricting Sri Lanka.

This performance earned her five additional rating points, giving her a total of 737 and a one-point lead over Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, who had been ranked first since August. "Deepti's rise marks a milestone for Indian bowling," as noted in reports.

In the 50-over format, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt has returned to the number-one position for batters. She displaced India’s Smriti Mandhana after a powerful showing against Ireland, where she scored centuries in the second and third ODIs—124 and an unbeaten 100. These knocks helped her reach a career-high 820 rating points, surpassing Mandhana by nine. Wolvaardt, who previously held the top ODI spot in 2022, has "solidified her elite status" with this dominant series.

The ripple effects of these matches are seen throughout the rankings. Teammate Jemimah Rodrigues, whose unbeaten 69 won her Player of the Match honors against Sri Lanka, jumped five places to enter the T20I batting top ten at number nine. She now joins countrywomen Smriti Mandhana (3rd) and Shafali Verma (10th) on that list. Another Indian, bowler Arundhati Reddy, moved up five spots to 36th.

For South Africa, all-rounder Sune Luus saw significant gains, rising seven places to 34th among ODI batters and eleven places to 22nd for all-rounders. Ireland’s players also made strides following their competitive series; bowler Arlene Kelly climbed to 27th, while batters Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter moved up to 18th and 28th, respectively.

The ICC rankings operate on a points system that values recent performances, the strength of the opposition, and the recency of the matches. Positions are updated weekly. A player's points can increase or decrease based on detailed metrics like economy rate and match impact, meaning maintaining a number-one ranking "requires sustained excellence."

Deepti Sharma’s achievement underscores her value as a world-class all-rounder. She is already ranked third in T20I all-rounders and was the Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. Her ascent is seen as a boost for India’s T20 World Cup preparations. Wolvaardt’s return to the top highlights her consistency and leadership for South Africa.