ICC T20 Rankings: 17-Year-Old Shafali Verma Becomes World No.1 Batter

Shafali Verma tops ICC T20 Rankings: 17-year-old Shafali Verma claimed the top spot in the ICC women's T20 rankings with a stellar performance in the ongoing series against South Africa.

One of the best cricketers in recent time, Verma has made it into the top rankings by surpassing Australia's Beth Mooney. On Tuesday, she was the top scorer for India in the 2nd T20I against South Africa with 47 off 31 deliveries, slamming six fours and two sixes in the inning. The highest-ranked Indian batswoman played a big role in getting her side to the knockout phase of the T20 World Cup last year in Australia.

"India opener Shafali Verma is back at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings after a fine show in the first two matches of the ongoing three-match series against South Africa in Lucknow," the ICC said in a statement.

Many congratulations to our power house @TheShafaliVerma on being the number one batter in T20s! In such a short time you’ve been phenomenal 👏🏻🇮🇳 @BCCIWomen pic.twitter.com/iaLURoTUMh

— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) March 23, 2021

In the team, Deepti Sharma has moved up four places to 40th position and teenager Richa Ghosh has secured 59 places to 85th among batters while young all-rounder Harleen Deol has progressed in both lists, up 262 places to 99th among batters and up 76 places to 146th among bowlers. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad has advanced from 34th to 25th.

India captain Mithali Raj has moved up one place to eighth after an unbeaten 79 against South Africa in the 5th ODI last week. Priya Punia, on other hand, has moved up to five places to 53rd. Gayakwad is up eight places to 38th among bowlers in the longer format.

Shafali Verma ​top-scored

Last year, Verma held the top spot in the ICC women’s T20 International rankings after her stellar run at the T20 World Cup. She became the second Indian after Mithali Raj to top the women’s T20 batting rankings. Verma was the third-highest scorer at the World Cup and had hit more sixes than anyone at the tournament.

Verma hails from Rohtak, Haryana, and has already secured some notable milestones in her early career. She is the youngest male or female cricketer to represent the national side on an international level which breaks the record of her Idol Sachin Tendulkar. She also became the second-youngest player to score a half-century in T20I format — men or women.

Verma represented Haryana women at the domestic level and had also played for Velocity in the Women’s T20 Tournament held earlier last year in Jaipur. She started her career only six years ago. In a short span, she has already played three seasons for Haryana. She was strategically chosen for the national team because she can hit the ball hard and that is what the women’s T20 team needed. Read Shafali Verma: India’s Youngest Shining Star Of Cricket

Feature Image Credit: ICC