ICC Rankings: Sree Charani becomes No. 1 T20I bowler a year after making international debut

Just a little over 12 months since making her international debut, 21-year-old Sree Charani has scaled the absolute peak of international cricket. Following the latest ICC rankings update on Tuesday, the young slow left-arm orthodox spinner from Andhra Pradesh has vaulted past England’s Linsey Smith to become the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler in the world. It is a breathtakingly rapid ascent for a player who, just a year ago, was still waiting for her first international cap.

Meanwhile, India’s lead spinner Deepti Sharma has dropped out of the top 5. Despite beginning the T20 World Cup with a five-wicket haul, the off-spinner has dropped to No. 8 in the latest standings.

Charani’s rise is no flash in the pan; it is the continuation of an extraordinary breakthrough year. Last year, she transitioned seamlessly into the 50-over format to become a cornerstone of India’s historic 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph on home soil. Operating with immaculate control, subtle flight, and clever pace variations, she finished that marquee tournament with 14 wickets across nine matches, delivering high-pressure, match-turning spells whenever her captain needed a breakthrough.

She has carried that exact big-tournament temperament into the ongoing 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England. Charani has been the absolute standout bowler of the competition so far, sitting comfortably as the leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps from just three appearances.

She began the tournament with a three-wicket haul against Pakistan. Her march to the top of the rankings was rubber-stamped in Leeds, where she dismantled the Netherlands with a brilliant spell of 4 for 12, her second career four-wicket haul in international T20s. She backed that up with a fierce three-wicket burst in Manchester against South Africa. Though India ultimately fell short in that encounter, Charani’s individual brilliance proved impossible for the ICC rankings calculators to ignore.

By capturing the premier position so early in her career, Charani has broken the historic stranglehold of established English spinners. Linsey Smith has dropped to third following a relatively slow start to the tournament by her lofty standards, while her England teammate Charlie Dean has risen to second after claiming five wickets from three matches. Former world No. 1 Sophie Ecclestone is also on the prowl, jumping four spots to fourth overall.

Meanwhile, in the Women’s T20I batting charts, Australia’s Georgia Voll retains the top spot. India’s Smriti Mandhana is at the fifth spot while opener Shafali Verma has risen one spot to No. 6. Despite her quiet start to the T20 World Cup, captain Harmanpreet Kaur has risen a spot to No. 10.

ICC Women’s T20I Rankings (As of June 23, 2026)

1. Sree Charani (India) – 753 points
2. Charlie Dean (England) – 733 points
3. Linsey Smith (England) – 726 points
4. Sophie Ecclestone (England) – 722 points
5. Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan) – 714 points
6. Nonkululeko Mlaba (South Africa) – 713 points
7. Lauren Bell (England) – 710 points
8. Deepti Sharma (India) – 708 points
9. Annabel Sutherland (Australia) – 704 points
10. Nashra Sundhu (Pakistan) – 687 points

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