Australia’s premier all-rounder Annabel Sutherland has once again stamped her authority at the top of world cricket, reclaiming the No.1 position in the latest ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings. The updated list, released on Tuesday, sees India’s Deepti Sharma slip to second, marking another significant twist in an intense battle for supremacy among elite bowlers in the shortest format.

A familiar peak for Annabel Sutherland

Sutherland returned to the top with a rating of 736, mirroring the exact tally she held when she first ascended to No.1 in August 2025. The achievement underlines her remarkable consistency across conditions and opposition. Known for her ability to strike at crucial moments and maintain control through the middle overs, the Australian all-rounder continues to set the benchmark in T20I bowling.

While Deepti’s time at the summit was brief, her drop does little to dent her standing among the world’s best. The Indian off-spinner remains a vital cog in India’s white-ball setup and firmly entrenched in the upper echelon of the rankings.

India vs Sri Lanka clash drives batting gains

The latest rankings update has been influenced heavily by the recent Women’s T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on December 30, where India posted a competitive 175 for 7. The match saw three Indian batters cross the fifty-run mark, highlighting the depth and form of the home side’s batting unit.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a defining role with a commanding 68 off 43 deliveries. Her knock, blending power with composure, helped her climb two places to 13th in the T20I batting rankings, taking her rating to 634 points and reinforcing her status as one of the format’s most influential batters.

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Sri Lankan batters make rapid strides

Despite Sri Lanka falling short in the chase, the visitors found major positives with the bat. Opener Hasini Perera led the resistance with a fluent 65 from 42 balls. Her performance resulted in a dramatic jump of 31 places, lifting her to 40th in the batting rankings with 490 points, one of the biggest gains in the latest update.

Perera received strong support from Imesh Dulani, who impressed with an assured 50 off 39 balls, laced with eight boundaries. Remarkably, just six matches into her international T20 career, Dulani surged 77 places to enter the top 100 batters for the first time, signalling a promising future.

All-round impact of Deepti Sharma

Although Deepti lost the No.1 bowling ranking, she enjoyed a solid outing, returning figures of 1 for 28 from her four overs. That display ensured she retained third place in the T20I all-rounder rankings with 382 points. Fellow Indian Arundhati Reddy also made notable progress, jumping 21 places to 44th in the all-rounder list after scoring a brisk 27 not out off 11 balls and picking up a wicket. Away from international rankings, Sutherland will miss the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season after withdrawing from the tournament. Her franchise, Delhi Capitals, have named Alana King as her replacement, adding another experienced Australian to their squad.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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