Hayley Matthews consolidates No. 1 position in ICC T20I rankings for all-rounders

Hayley Matthews is just 25 years old but has already spent nine years in international cricket. She was appointed as the captain of the West Indies team in June 2022 and, since then, has led her team from the front.

After her all-round heroics in the second T20I against Australia, Matthews has managed to consolidate her position at No. 1 in the ICC rankings for all-rounders in the shortest format of the game. Matthews has a career-high 480 ranking points at the moment.

On Monday, October 2, Matthews played one of the finest innings in women's T20 cricket against Australia at the North Sydney Oval, Sydney. This second game in a three-match T20I series was a do-or-die encounter for the visitors after they were annihilated in the first tie. Australia lost the toss, and Matthews invited them to bat first. The hosts amassed 212/6 in their 20 overs as West Indies had to pull off something special to keep the series alive.

The onus was on captain Hayley as her experience in playing T20 leagues around the world was set to be put under a massive test. She gave herself some time at the start of the innings and took the world-class Aussie bowlers to the cleaners once she got accustomed to the conditions. Hayley went on to score her second T20I century, eventually being dismissed for a sensational 64-ball 132. The West Indies went on to win with seven wickets and one ball left. Earlier, in the Australian innings, Matthews picked up a three-for.

She has won seven consecutive Player of the Match awards, which is a mind-boggling feat. In the two matches thus far against the Aussies, Matthews has scored 231 runs and picked up four wickets. In the rankings for T20I batters, she has climbed to the seventh spot, while in the bowlers' rankings, she is now at No. 5. Tahlia McGrath is the No. 1 T20I batter, while Sophie Ecclestone is the top-ranked bowler in the format.

Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Amelia Kerr make significant gains after SA vs NZ ODI series

The Proteas defeated New Zealand 2-1 in the recently concluded ODI series at home. Skipper Wolvaardt top-scored for her team with 200 runs in three games. She moved up two places in the ODI rankings for batters and currently finds herself at No. 2. On the other hand, Marizanne Kapp, who scored 144 runs and picked up two wickets, moved to No. 10 on the batting as well as bowling rankings. The veteran is also the No. 2 among ODI all-rounders.

New Zealand's Amelia Kerr was the highest run-getter in the series, and she is currently at No. 11 on the rankings for batters in ODIs. The 22-year-old is also No. 5 among the all-rounders. Nat Sciver-Brunt is the top-ranked batter, while Ecclestone is the No. 1 bowler in the 50-over format. Ashleigh Gardner is at No. 1 in the list of all-rounders.