The International Cricket Council (ICC) launched a global MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I rankings as it continues to drive the growth of the game through the shortest format.
Three-time ICC Women’s World Twenty20 champions Australia lead the inaugural 46-team table which follows the decision earlier this year to award international status to all T20 matches between Member countries.
While Scotland are the top ranked Associate Member in 11th position, Thailand take 12th place in the first table following some good performances including a win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup earlier this year.
All women’s T20 matches between Members have international status since the Asia Cup in June and the new rankings system will help teams gauge where they stand in the shortest format of the game.
The system moves away from the combined rankings in place earlier and there is now a separate MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings table with 10 teams, in line with the men’s rankings which are separate for each format.
“We are committed to growing the game and T20 is the vehicle through which we’ll do this. Global rankings and international status for all T20 games between Members is a huge step forward and will contribute our efforts to accelerate the growth of the women’s game”, said David Richardson, Chief Executive of ICC.
Australia, who were top-ranked in the combined rankings system, are now ranked number one in both forms of the game and leads New Zealand by three points in the T20I rankings table. Australia are on 280 points, New Zealand on 277 while England are just a further one point behind with 276 points.
The West Indies, who will defend their ICC Women’s World T20 title at home from November 9-24 are ranked fourth with 259 points and India are a further 10 points behind in fifth place. The next five teams on the table – South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Ireland – complete the lineup for the West Indies event.