DUBAI – Pakistan women’s team spinner Sadia Iqbal has briefly become the first Pakistani player to top the ICC player rankings table.
The women cricketer displaced English player Sophie Ecclestone to seize the top position, but she could not hold onto it for long, as Ecclestone regained the top spot by the end of last week.
Ecclestone has been at the top of the women’s T20 bowlers’ rankings since February 2020, but last week, Sadia Iqbal dethroned her and took over the position.
In the opening match of the Women’s T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka, Iqbal took 3 wickets for 17 runs, which first brought her level with Ecclestone, but the English cricketer regained the top position.
The gap between the two bowlers is only 8 points, with Sophie Ecclestone at 762 rating points and Sadia Iqbal at 754. It is possible that Sadia could reclaim the top position during the mega event.
Sadia Iqbal has had a remarkable year in the T20 format, taking 28 wickets in the most matches (17) in 2024.
Former Pakistani captain Sana Mir is the only other Pakistani woman cricketer to have topped the ICC One Day Player table, achieving this honor in 2018-19.