Australian skipper Meg Lanning reclaims top spot in ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings

Dubai [UAE], July 26 (ANI): Australian skipper Meg Lanning reclaimed her spot at the top of ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings after her brilliant knock of 74 against Ireland in a tri-series at Bready that also features Pakistan.
Lanning has overtaken compatriot Beth Mooney to reclaim the position she first occupied in January 2014. Except for two days in March 2014, she remained at the top until 18 November 2016. However, this is the first time Lanning has been No. 1 since then.
Lanning has been at the top for a total of 1,020 days, only behind England's Charlotte Edwards (1,092) and Australia's Karen Rolton (1,085) in terms of days as No.1.
Tahlia McGrath, whose knock of 70 in the same game won her the Player of the Match award, is up 15 places to 13th while Rachael Haynes has advanced two places to 51st position. The Australia players to move up the rankings for bowlers include spinner Jess Jonassen (up four places to sixth) and medium-fast bowler Nicola Carey (up 20 places to 32nd).
Ireland players Rebecca Stokell (up from 87th to 82nd in the batters' list) and Ava Canning (up from 85th to 71st in the bowlers' list) are also among those to gain in the latest weekly update that includes the three matches of the England versus South Africa series played just a week ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
For England, fast bowler Katherine Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone have reaped the benefits of finishing with five wickets each in the series. Brunt is up four places to third in the rankings while Ecclestone has consolidated her position at the top, gaining six rating points to reach 767.
Meanwhile, Sophia Dunkely is up 30 places to 62nd after scoring 82 runs in the series while Nat Sciver's aggregate of 84 runs helps her remain in the top 10 for batters.
South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch have made substantial gains after smashing a half-century each in the series. Wolvaardt has gained five slots to reach 14th position with an aggregate of 89 runs and Bosch has progressed 26 places to 21st with a total of 96 runs. Tazmin Brits is up 14 places to 24th on the list.
South Africa fast bowler Ayabonga Khaka's four wickets in the series have lifted her to the top 10 while Nonkululeko Mlaba's three wickets take her to 24th position. (ANI)