Indian left-arm spinner Shree Charani has etched her name into the history books by claiming the all-time record for the highest rating points in the International Cricket Council (ICC) women’s T20 bowling rankings. Released during the governing body’s latest weekly update, the 22-year-old saw her rating surge by 18 points to reach a staggering 817, eclipsing the previous benchmark and establishing a new high-water mark for the shortest format of the game.
The milestone triumph officially brings an end to a long-standing eight-year record previously held by Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt. Back in November 2018, Schutt had reached a peak rating of 806 points, a milestone that stood the test of time until Charani’s recent surge. In the history of international T20 cricket, only a select group of elite bowlers have ever managed to breach the coveted 800-point threshold. Alongside Charani and Schutt, England’s premier spinner Sophie Ecclestone is the only other bowler to have entered that exclusive territory, boasting a career-high rating of 802. Just two weeks prior, Charani had already made history by becoming the first female cricketer from India to enter the 800-point club, setting the stage for this ultimate record-breaking ascent.
Her phenomenal rise is underpinned by consistent match-winning performances on the international stage, most notably during India’s gold-medal campaign at the recent Asian Games. In the high-stakes final against Sri Lanka, Charani delivered a masterclass in control and guile, conceding a mere 13 runs while capturing two crucial wickets. Across three matches in the tournament, she amassed a total of eight wickets, proving to be the fulcrum of the bowling attack.
The latest ICC rankings reflect broader success for Indian cricketers across multiple categories. In the T20 bowling charts, fellow Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma occupies the second position with 754 rating points following her stellar three-wicket haul in the final, while Sophie Ecclestone sits third with 723 points. Meanwhile, batting progress has also been notable; star opener Smriti Mandhana played a sparkling knock of 79 runs in the final against Sri Lanka, lifting her one place to fifth in the T20 batting rankings, which remain topped by Australia’s Beth Mooney.
Beyond the T20 format, the global landscape features several familiar faces holding firm at the top. West Indies star Hayley Matthews continues to command the summit of the T20 all-rounder standings. In the One Day International formats, Smriti Mandhana maintains her supremacy among batters, while Australia’s Alana King leads the ODI bowling charts, and her compatriot Ashleigh Gardner sits comfortably at the pinnacle of the ODI all-rounder rankings.