Dubai, April 29 (IANS) India’s emphatic nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening match of the ongoing tri-series in Colombo has not only set the tone for their campaign but also propelled two of their promising young batters, Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol to new career-highs in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings.
Pratika Rawal, the 24-year-old opener who has been enjoying a sensational run of form, led from the front with a composed unbeaten 50 off 62 balls. Her knock, which helped India chase down Sri Lanka’s modest total with ease, earned her the Player of the Match award and a significant 10-place leap in the ICC ODI batting rankings. She now sits at a career-best 47th, cementing her growing reputation as one of India’s most dependable top-order batters.
Rawal continued her remarkable purple patch in Indian colours with yet another commanding performance, scoring 78 off 91 deliveries against South Africa on Tuesday. This innings marked her fifth consecutive half-century in Women’s ODIs.
In the process, the 24-year-old etched her name into the record books by becoming the fastest batter to reach 500 runs in Women’s ODI.
Harleen Deol, too, made her presence felt with a steady, unbeaten 48 that supported Rawal in India’s dominant chase. The 26-year-old moved up four spots to 49th on the same batting chart, also achieving her best-ever ranking in ODIs.
While India dominated the game, there were some positives for Sri Lanka as well. Opener Hasini Perera climbed five places to reach 72nd in the batting rankings after her gritty 30-run knock at the top of the order.
Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera, who claimed the only Indian wicket to fall—Smriti Mandhana—was rewarded with a two-spot jump to 25th in the ODI bowling rankings for her tidy 1/32 spell.
India’s Sneh Rana also made a notable return to the rankings. Playing her first ODI in nearly 18 months, the experienced off-spinner bagged three wickets against Sri Lanka and re-entered the bowling charts at 57th.
Meanwhile, England’s Sophie Ecclestone continues to top the list for ODI bowlers.
–IANS
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