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Smriti Mandhana reclaimed the ICC Women’s ODI batter top spot, surpassing Laura Wolvaardt.
India’s Smriti Mandhana (AFP)
India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana reclaimed the highest spot in the most recent ICC Women’s ODI batter rankings, overtaking South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt on Tuesday (December 16).
Mandhana remained on 811 rating points, while Wolvaardt slipped from 814 to 806 after scoring 31 in South Africa’s seven-wicket win over Ireland within the East London series opener. In that match, Sune Luus and Miane Smit struck half-centuries because the Proteas chased 210 inside 37 overs.
It helped Luus climb five places to joint thirty first amongst ODI batters and 10 spots to thirty third within the all-rounders’ list. Ireland’s Orla Prendergast and Laura Delany also made gains across batting, bowling, and all-rounder rankings, while South Africa seamer Tumi Sekhukhune jumped seven places to 78th amongst ODI bowlers after a two-wicket haul.
Mandhana reached the 811 mark after scoring 434 runs at a median of 54.25 on the 2025 Women’s World Cup. India haven’t played any matches because the World Cup and their next series is a bilateral one lined up against Sri Lanka later this month.
“I don’t think I like anything greater than cricket,” Mandhana said in a recent interview. “For us, the Indian jersey is every part — once you wear it, you mechanically leave your problems outside, that one thought resets your whole system. Completing 12 years in international cricket has been a good looking, tough and absolutely price it journey. That World Cup victory wasn’t only a match, it was years of trying, failing and picking ourselves up again; we visualised that win for thus long that when it finally happened, it gave us goosebumps.”
“We desired to win it for Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, and once we saw tears of their eyes, it felt like women’s cricket itself had won. As a child, I didn’t know much, I just knew I desired to be called a world champion someday. Cricket and life all the time teach you that you simply start every innings at zero, even if you happen to scored 100 yesterday, and that you simply don’t play for yourself,” she added.
Click here so as to add News18 as your selected news source on Google. December 16, 2025, 16:52 IST
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