New Zealand’s leading white-ball performers have made notable gains in the latest ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings following their commanding 80-run win over South Africa in the opening match of the five-game series at Mount Maunganui.
The White Ferns, captained by Amelia Kerr, entered the home contest after completing a clean sweep against Zimbabwe, led by Nomvelo Sibanda, between February 25 and March 11. They began the South Africa series, with Laura Wolvaardt at the helm, on March 15. Kerr’s explosive 78 secured Player of the Match recognition in the opener, while a strong team effort contributed to several players climbing the rankings. South Africa responded with an 18-run victory in the second T20I to level the series at 1-1, setting up an intriguing contest that runs through April 4 and features both T20Is and ODIs.
Batting Rankings
Aggressive opener Georgia Plimmer emerged as one of the biggest movers among batters, jumping nine places to 41st after her decisive 63 in the first match. She, however, managed only 1 off 2 balls in the second T20I. Her positive strokeplay provided a firm start at the top of the order and highlighted New Zealand’s growing depth in the format. The rise reflects the White Ferns’ renewed strength with the bat, driven by a blend of youth and attacking intent.
Bowling Rankings
Jess Kerr achieved a personal landmark by climbing 11 positions to 23rd, reaching a career-best rating of 604 points in the T20I bowling standings. She delivered figures of 4-1-13-2 in the opening game and followed it with 4-0-34-2 in the second T20I, taking four wickets across the two outings.
Her disciplined spells played a key role in containing South Africa and reinforced the effectiveness of New Zealand’s pace unit in home conditions.
For South Africa, Nadine de Klerk has taken three wickets in the first two matches of the ongoing series, moving up a couple of places to share 39th position on 511 points alongside Ireland’s Orla Prendergast, who has also risen by one spot. Former White Ferns captain Sophie Devine produced career-best bowling figures of 4-0-12-4 in the first T20I, resulting in a sharp jump of 25 places to joint 79th on 391 points, level with Australia’s Kim Garth.
All-rounder Rankings
Among all-rounders, Sophie Devine’s performance stands out as she advanced six spots to 11th following her 4-0-12-4 effort against the Proteas, her best T20I bowling return for New Zealand. Her impact with the ball, combined with her experience with the bat, continues to underline her value in the format as the side builds towards defending their T20 World Cup title in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026.
Veteran Suzie Bates also progressed three places to reach 30th with 123 points, while Jess Kerr moved up five spots to share 32nd on 120 points alongside Ireland’s Laura Delany.
These ranking movements underline New Zealand’s continued strength in white-ball cricket during a busy home season, with the series against South Africa expected to provide further momentum in the weeks ahead.
