Login
Sadia Iqbal, a left-arm spinner for Pakistan, has grabbed back the top spot in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings after the ICC's weekly rankings were announced on Tuesday. Iqbal has crossed Australia's Annabel Sutherland (736 rating points) and India's Deepti Sharma (737) securing the top spot on the global leaderboard and making this a proud moment for Pakistan women's cricket.
Sophie Ecclestone, the former No. 1 , could not perform in the country's most recent home Twenty20 International series against the West Indies due to a knee injury, which helped Iqbal regain his position at the top. After dominating the rankings for the majority of the previous three years, Ecclestone was unable to sustain her rating, allowing Iqbal to regain her position at the top.
But this achievement is not merely circumstantial. Sadia Iqbal's performances over the past 12 months have been nothing short of exceptional.She played a significant role in Pakistan's group-stage squad at the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. On October 3, 2024, she took three wickets for just 17 runs in a crucial group match against Sri Lanka in Sylhet which helped Pakistan to win by a slim margin. She had briefly topped the charts at the time of that performance.
During Pakistan's T20I series against South Africa in September 2023, Iqbal maintained her strong play. She proved that she can bowl under pressure on September 4, 2023, when she took 2 for 19 against a strong defense at Karachi's National Stadium. She later stayed frugal during Pakistan's December 2023 tour of New Zealand, taking a wicket in the 2nd Twenty20 International on December 8 in Hamilton while giving up just 22 runs in her four overs.
Apart from her T20 exploits, Iqbal was also one of the standout bowlers in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier in Lahore in April 2025. She helped Pakistan stay undefeated in the tournament by taking 9 wickets at an average of 16.00 in 5 games and also maintained an economy rate of 3.94. Her momentum continued into the most recent rankings, and her efforts took her to grab no 1 spot again.
Speaking after her achievement, Sadia Iqbal said,
"It's a dream to be ranked the world's No. 1 T20I bowler again. I've worked hard on my accuracy and variations. This is a result of team support and the faith our coaches have shown in me."
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) praised her success, with Chairman Zaka Ashraf stating:
"This is a proud moment for all of Pakistan. Sadia's riste to the top shows our women are gowing in the world stature.
In her 47-match T20I career, Sadia Iqbal has taken 59 wickets at an average of 17.52 and an economy rate of just 5.64 - a testament to her consistency and control.
As Pakistan's women's team gets ready for a demanding schedule that includes a tri-series against South Africa and Ireland in July 2025, all eyes will be on Sadia Iqbal to spearhead the bowling attack and spur more wins.
