West Indies Women

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has made a remarkable return to the top five in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings following a sensational performance in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier in Lahore.

Matthews was at the forefront of a thrilling chase against Thailand on the final day of the tournament, where her blistering 70 off 29 balls led her team to an impressive six-wicket victory, with 235 balls to spare.

The whirlwind knock not only helped her team secure a vital win but also propelled Matthews two spots up in the ODI Batting Rankings, now sitting in fifth position—just one place below her career-best ranking of fourth, which she achieved at the start of the tournament during which she slammed an unbeaten114 against Scotland and compiled a total of 240 runs.

While Matthews’ stunning performance was a highlight of the tournament, the win was not enough for the West Indies to secure a spot in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which will be hosted by India. Despite their dominant performance, the West Indies finished just 0.013 short on net run rate compared to Bangladesh, who claimed the second qualifying spot alongside hosts Pakistan.

The top of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings remains competitive, with South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt holding the No. 1 spot, followed by India’s Smriti Mandhana, England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapathu. Matthews completes the top five, underscoring her consistent excellence and ability to perform under pressure.

There were also significant improvements in the ODI Batting Rankings for several players from the Qualifier. Bangladesh’s Sharmin Akhter moved up eight spots to 21st, while Ireland’s Amy Hunter climbed seven places to 27th. Meanwhile, Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce, who was named Player of the Tournament, surged eight spots to a career-best 35th position.

In the ODI Bowling Rankings, Matthews, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Qualifier with 13 wickets, maintained her spot in the top 10, sitting at No. 9. She was followed by teammates Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack, who both made notable gains. Fletcher rose three places to match her career-high 21st ranking, while Ramharack climbed five positions to 25th.

Australia’s Ash Gardner holds the top spot in the ODI Bowling Rankings, followed by her compatriot Megan Schutt, India’s Deepti Sharma, South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp, and Australia’s Kim Garth.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has made a remarkable return to the top five in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings following a sensational performance in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier in Lahore.

Matthews was at the forefront of a thrilling chase against Thailand on the final day of the tournament, where her blistering 70 off 29 balls led her team to an impressive six-wicket victory, with 235 balls to spare.

The whirlwind knock not only helped her team secure a vital win but also propelled Matthews two spots up in the ODI Batting Rankings, now sitting in fifth position—just one place below her career-best ranking of fourth, which she achieved at the start of the tournament during which she slammed an unbeaten114 against Scotland and compiled a total of 240 runs.

While Matthews’ stunning performance was a highlight of the tournament, the win was not enough for the West Indies to secure a spot in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which will be hosted by India. Despite their dominant performance, the West Indies finished just 0.013 short on net run rate compared to Bangladesh, who claimed the second qualifying spot alongside hosts Pakistan.

The top of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings remains competitive, with South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt holding the No. 1 spot, followed by India’s Smriti Mandhana, England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapathu. Matthews completes the top five, underscoring her consistent excellence and ability to perform under pressure.

There were also significant improvements in the ODI Batting Rankings for several players from the Qualifier. Bangladesh’s Sharmin Akhter moved up eight spots to 21st, while Ireland’s Amy Hunter climbed seven places to 27th. Meanwhile, Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce, who was named Player of the Tournament, surged eight spots to a career-best 35th position.

In the ODI Bowling Rankings, Matthews, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Qualifier with 13 wickets, maintained her spot in the top 10, sitting at No. 9. She was followed by teammates Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack, who both made notable gains. Fletcher rose three places to match her career-high 21st ranking, while Ramharack climbed five positions to 25th.

Australia’s Ash Gardner holds the top spot in the ODI Bowling Rankings, followed by her compatriot Megan Schutt, India’s Deepti Sharma, South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp, and Australia’s Kim Garth.