With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 starting, the latest rankings update has provided a timely boost for New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr, who has returned to the top of the ICC Women’s T20I all-rounder rankings.
The race for the No.1 position remains incredibly close, but Kerr has edged past West Indies captain Hayley Matthews by just five rating points. Matthews’ absence from her side’s final tri-series fixture opened the door for Kerr to reclaim top spot, setting up an intriguing battle between two of the game’s premier all-rounders heading into the tournament.
While Kerr’s rise is the headline story, the rankings update also highlights several players carrying strong momentum into the World Cup.
Australia Continue to Dominate the Batting Charts
Australia remain the benchmark in the batting rankings, with Georgia Voll holding the No.1 position and Beth Mooney sitting close behind in second place.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has climbed back into the top ten after her unbeaten half-century against England, while England youngster Alice Capsey enjoyed one of the biggest jumps of the week, rising 13 places to 30th following her match-winning 82 at Taunton.
Several other players also made notable gains. Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty moved up to equal 18th, Heather Knight climbed to 21st, and Scotland wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce continued her impressive rise to 36th.
Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce was among the biggest movers, jumping 29 places to enter the top 60 after finishing as one of the leading run-scorers in the recent tri-series.
England’s Bowlers Strengthen Their Credentials
England’s bowling attack received a major boost in the latest rankings.
Linsey Smith retained the No.1 position among T20I bowlers, while Lauren Bell climbed into a share of second place and Charlie Dean moved up to fourth. Their progress reflects England’s growing confidence ahead of a home World Cup campaign.
South Africa spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba also broke into the top five, underlining the importance of spin bowling as teams prepare for English conditions.
Further down the list, players such as Arundhati Reddy, Ava Canning, Arlene Kelly, Malki Madara, Marufa Akter and Nensi Patel all enjoyed significant improvements following strong recent performances.
Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce Continues Her Rise
Few players have gained more momentum ahead of the tournament than Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce.
Already regarded as the heartbeat of the Scottish side, Bryce enjoyed substantial rises in both the batting and bowling rankings. Her performances also helped her climb nine places to 17th in the all-rounder rankings.
Scotland finished top of their recent tri-series, and Bryce’s form will be crucial if the team hopes to challenge more established nations during the World Cup.
A Tight Race at the Top
The latest rankings underline how competitive women’s cricket has become. While Amelia Kerr’s return to No.1 will grab the headlines, the margins at the top remain extremely small.
With players from Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies, India, Bangladesh and Scotland all carrying strong form into the tournament, the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup promises to be one of the most competitive editions yet.
For now, Kerr heads into the competition as the world’s top-ranked all-rounder, but one strong World Cup performance could quickly reshape the rankings once again.
