Sadia Iqbal Makes History as First Pakistani to Top ICC Women’s T20I Rankings

Sadia Iqbal has made history as the first Pakistani player to briefly top the ICC Women’s T20I Rankings, reaching the number one spot before finishing in second place in the latest update. The 29-year-old left-arm spinner achieved this milestone after a standout performance against Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, where she took three wickets for 17 runs.

Sadia matched Sophie Ecclestone’s rating of 757 points, who had held the top position since February 2020. However, after Ecclestone’s performance against South Africa, where she took two wickets for 15 runs, she reclaimed her top position with 750 points, ending a thrilling contest between the two bowlers.

Sadia Iqbal is only the second Pakistani player to achieve a top ranking, following former captain Sana Mir, who topped the ODI bowling rankings in 2018-19.

In addition to Sadia’s achievements, there were significant changes in the T20I rankings for other players. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits reached career-best rankings, while various other players, including Suzie Bates and Harmanpreet Kaur, also saw improvements in their positions.