Chamari Athapathu is the new number 1 ranked batter in ODI Cricket  

Chamari Athapathu, who scored an unbeaten 195 to power Sri Lanka to an exceptional win over South Africa in their final ODI last week has acquired pole position in the batting rankings for women’s ODIs. 

Athapathu’s quickfire knock shattered a number of records in women’s cricket, including the highest individual score in a successful ODI run chase after Glenn Maxwell’s 201* against Afghanistan at the 2023 World ODI Series. 

Chasing a mammoth target of SA’s 301/5, Sri Lanka got home inside 44.3 overs to level the series. Laura Wolvaardt played a blinder of a knock scoring an unbeaten 147 to guide the Proteas to a competitive total.       

On the back of her massive contribution, Athapaththu achieved her highest ever rating of 773 in the batter ranking charts and surpassed Nat Sciver-Brunt, who has 764 points. Wolvaardt, who had entered the top five in the recent update of the rankings, ascended to two more spots, moving past Beth Mooney and Smriti Mandhana to third place. 

Meanwhile Hayley Matthews moved up seven places to reach No.11 after scoring 140* and 44 in West Indies’ wins over Pakistan in the opening two ODIs of their three match series.

In the bowling ranking, Pakistan left arm spinner, Sadia Iqbal, jumped six places to enter the top 20 after spells of 2/38 and 1/36 in the two games against the Windies.