England’s 2-1 T20I series win over New Zealand has produced seismic movement in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings ahead of the expanded T20 World Cup in England and Wales, with England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith surging within touching distance of the world No. 1 bowling berth and several players, batters and all-rounders alike, shifting places as teams fine-tune their final preparations for the T20 World Cup.
Batting Rankings:
Georgia Voll (Australia) remains the world No. 1 T20I batter following the latest update, holding off challengers as international cricket tightens up before the World Cup. Sophie Devine (New Zealand) enjoyed a welcome rise after her match-winning 87 in the second T20I of the England series, moving up eight places to No. 10 in the T20I batting rankings. That innings underlined Devine’s continued value as a top-order power-hitter and a key wicket-taking threat in the middle overs.
England’s Maia Bouchier and Alice Capsey also boosted their standing following useful contributions in the series. Bouchier climbs six places to equal 34th, while Capsey moves up nine spots to 45th, progress that will strengthen England’s depth options as they finalise World Cup roles. New Zealand’s Maddy Green gained eight places to reach 39th after solid performances in the three-match T20I series.
Australia’s Tahlia McGrath (729 points) and India’s Shafali Verma (724 points) have climbed up one spot each to the 6th and 7th positions, respectively. India’s Jemimah Rodrigues has climbed up a couple of spots to the 15th position (627 points). Isle of Man’s Lucy Barnett has climbed up a couple of spots to the 69th position (368 points). New Zealand’s Issy Sharp has climbed up 8 spots to equal 98th position (295 points) alongside Namibia’s Yasmeen Khan.
Bowling Rankings:
Linsey Smith (England) is the standout mover on the bowling charts, rocketing 38 places to No. 2 with a career-high rating of 730 points after taking six wickets across the T20I series versus New Zealand. Smith now sits just 16 rating points behind Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal, who retains the No. 1 position for now. Smith’s ascent is notable both for its scale and its timing, coming less than three weeks before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins on 12 June, and puts England in a strong position with a left-arm spin option peaking just as tournament pitches and match-ups loom.
Bree Illing (New Zealand) was the biggest improver among T20I bowlers on the latest list, jumping 45 places to equal 54th after solid showings, picking up 4 wickets in three innings, ending the series as the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in England.
England’s Issy Wong climbed up 12 spots to the 45th position (496 points) alongside Sri Lanka’s Malki Madara. New Zealand’s Nensi Patel ended as the 2nd highest wicket-taker for her side in the series with 3 wickets. As a result, she has climbed up 34 spots to equal the 71st position (411 points) alongside Alana Dalzell from Ireland and Diana Baig from Pakistan.
The coming international fixtures, England’s home T20I series against India beginning this week, plus Pakistan’s tri-series with Ireland and the West Indies, provide immediate opportunities for bowlers near the summit to consolidate or chase the top spot ahead of the World Cup.
All-rounder Rankings:
There is a change at the summit of the all-rounders’ list; Hayley Matthews (West Indies) has overtaken New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr, reclaiming the No. 1 all-rounder position by a narrow five-point margin. Amelia Kerr’s slide from the top reflects a disappointing T20I series with the bat; she failed to reach double figures in three innings against England and picked up two wickets, underscoring how quickly all-rounder standings can swing when one discipline is quiet.
Matthews’ return to the peak of the all-rounder rankings strengthens West Indies’ credentials going into the expanded 12-team World Cup, giving them a proven match-winner with both bat and ball in form.
New Zealand’s Jess Kerr has climbed up one spot to the 26th position (135 points). England’s Linsey Smith also earned a massive rise as she climbed up 57 spots to equal the 57th position (81 points) alongside Papua New Guinea’s Isabel Toua. New Zealand’s Bree Illing has also earned a massive rise as she has climbed up 34 spots to the 69th position (73 points).
The 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by England and Wales from 12 June to 5 July 2026, will be the first edition played with 12 teams, expanded from 10. That enlargement raises the stakes for ranking positioning as teams aim to optimise match-ups in the short format. England’s series win over New Zealand, clinched by a seven-wicket victory in the decider, will be encouraging for the home side. Linsey Smith’s sudden rise gives England a potential match-winner with spin who could exploit English surfaces that often reward accuracy and variation.
Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal, though under pressure from Smith’s charge, retains the top bowling spot and will be closely watched in Pakistan’s upcoming tri-series with Ireland and West Indies (28 May–4 June) to see if she can extend her lead. The Scotland tri-series (Netherlands and Bangladesh, 28 May–4 June) and the parallel Ireland tri-series (Pakistan and West Indies) will be the final competitive windows for many players to stake late claims for World Cup selection and ranking gains.
With the T20 World Cup just weeks away and the tournament expanded to 12 teams, these ranking movements are more than numerical; they are statements of form and intent that could influence team strategies, player roles, and match-ups when the global showpiece begins in mid-June.
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