Alana King has stated that being the top One-Day International (ODI) bowler is only the beginning of her journey. After recently attaining the number one ranking in the world, she is currently focused on staying at the top of the ranking list for as long as she can.
The 30-year-old leg-spinner has achieved the number one ranking in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI bowling rankings list following a phenomenal performance in the ODI series played against India. She has achieved this by taking seven wickets at an average of 16.71, including a phenomenal spell of 4-33 in the third match of the series.
This achievement has also marked the end of Sophie Ecclestone, who had been at the top of the ranking list for 1,450 days. Despite this achievement, she states that it is more like a reward than a goal. “It definitely came as a surprise when I saw it on social media earlier today, but it’s a nice little reward,” King said.
However, she was quick to add that reaching the top is not where her ambition ends. “I don’t think you can be satisfied with just getting there. You want to hopefully stay at the top, and I’m just going to keep focusing on doing my role for this team.”
King also credited her teammates in the Australia team for helping her reach the milestone. “I absolutely love this team, and I think they’ve helped me get to places and create those chances to take wickets.” There’s a lot of hard work Alana has put behind the scenes, and she always wants to keep improving.
Although her success in the white-ball format is notable, King’s attention is presently focused on the day-night Test match, which will take place in Perth at the WACA Ground. The ground is traditionally known for being a good pitch for fast bowlers, although King is of the opinion that spinners too will be able to make an impact here.
“The WACA spins – whoever says it doesn’t spin, it definitely does,” King said confidently. She has fond memories of playing in Perth and believes the bounce of the pitch can actually benefit spinners. “I love bowling here. I’ve had some great games for the Scorchers and for WA, and hopefully I can have a few more for Australia as well.”
One of the aspects she enjoys most about Test cricket is the freedom to bowl longer spells. “I’m not limited to four or ten overs like in the shorter formats. I can bowl as much as I want, and I really thrive on that. Hopefully I can bowl long spells and tie down one end while contributing as an attacking bowler.”
King had earlier proved her skills in the longest format of the game in the Test match against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in January 2025, where she picked up nine wickets in the match, including an incredible five-wicket haul in the second innings of the match.
Now, with the pink-ball Test scheduled to take place in Perth, King is ready to make the most of the opportunity and use her home ground conditions effectively.
For the Australian spinner, becoming the world’s No.1 bowler may be the achievement, but that is still not the final goal. As the Australian spinner wants to keep improving and stay at the top.
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)
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