Shafali Verma rises to fourth in ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings after heroics in back-to-back continental competitions

Shafali Verma moved two places up to fourth in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings on September 22, 2026, after a productive run across the Asia Cup and Asian Games. The 22-year-old opener now holds 756 rating points, overtaking both Smriti Mandhana and Hayley Matthews in the process.

Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll and Laura Wolvaardt retained the top three positions. Fourth place marks the highest Verma has ever been placed in the T20I batting charts, a position earned through consistent contributions across two continental tournaments played in quick succession.

What scores drove Shafali Verma’s climb up the rankings?

Verma’s Asia Cup campaign gave India a reliable platform at the top of the order. She posted 64 in the semifinal and 68 in the final, two compact knocks that underlined her value as an opener across pressure situations.

Her Asian Games run was even more striking. Against Japan in the quarterfinal, she remained unbeaten on 40 to see India through comfortably. In the semifinal against Bangladesh, she reached three figures without being dismissed, finishing on 100 off 49 balls. It was the first time she had reached a white-ball century at international level, and she became the first woman to score a hundred at the Asian Games.

The final against Sri Lanka brought another contribution from Verma, who made 48 in an opening stand alongside Mandhana. India finished on 216/3, with Mandhana contributing 79 off 45 balls and Richa Ghosh remaining unbeaten on 49 off 22 deliveries. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 69 in 15.4 overs, giving India a 147-run victory and a second successive gold medal in women’s cricket at the Asian Games.

Verma also picked up two wickets in the final, adding a bowling contribution to what had already been a dominant all-round tournament for her.

Which Indian bowlers moved up in the T20I bowling rankings?

The updated ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings placed two Indian players at the very top. Deepti Sharma rose 22 places to reach first, registering career-best rating points in the process. N Shree Charani climbed 15 places to second, also achieving a career-best rating.

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Deepti’s figures of 3/6 against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final were central to her jump. Shreyanka Patil claimed two wickets in the same match, as did Verma, reflecting a collective bowling effort that reinforced India’s dominance throughout the tournament.