Introduction

Cricket rankings rarely sit still for long, and the ICC Women’s Bowling Rankings are proving that again in September 2026. The T20I table has shifted heavily since the World Cup wrapped up in July, and the Women’s Asia Cup now running in Dubai is adding fresh pressure on almost every seat near the top. Some names have held their ground. Others have jumped several places in a matter of weeks. Here is a look at who moved, who stayed put, and where the full top 10 stands right now in both formats.

Sree Charani’s Climb to the Top

India’s left-arm spinner Sree Charani now sits at world No. 1 in the T20I bowling rankings, with a rating of 759. She made her international debut against England in April 2025, so her rise has come quickly.

Charani has taken 73 wickets in 48 matches for India, a return few bowlers her age can match. Her biggest push came at the 2026 T20 World Cup in England, where she finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 14 dismissals across the group stage and knockouts. Her career-best rating of 760 came against Bangladesh at Old Trafford in 2026.

Speaking ahead of India’s Asia Cup clash with Pakistan, teammate Deepti Sharma called her “a very good talent,” pointing to the awkward angle Charani creates for batters. That kind of praise from a senior player carries weight in a young bowling attack.

England Still Holds a Crowded Top Five

England places four bowlers inside the current T20I top six, a rare cluster for one side. Sophie Ecclestone sits second with 723 points, just ahead of Charlie Dean in third with 722. Lauren Bell holds fifth with 712, and Linsey Smith rounds out the group in sixth with 704.

Smith’s spot in the group is worth a second look. She reached No. 1 for the first time in her career in early June 2026, just days before the World Cup began, after taking six wickets in a three-match series against New Zealand at an average of 8.33 and an economy rate of 4.16. Her best figures of 3 for 25 also won her the Player of the Series award. Charani has since moved past her, but Smith’s short run at the summit still stands as one of the format’s fastest rises this year.

Pakistan’s Spin Pair Holds Its Ground

Pakistan’s bowling attack still leans on two familiar spinners. Nashra Sundhu sits eighth in the current T20I bowling table, with Sadia Iqbal just behind her in ninth. Iqbal once held the world No. 1 spot earlier in her career, so ninth still leaves her within reach of a return to the top five.

Both bowlers were on show in Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener, a 35-run win over Thailand. Iqbal returned figures of 3 for 11, while Tuba Hassan added 2 for 17 to support her.

Deepti Sharma flagged the pair’s threat before India met Pakistan in Dubai, noting the pair gives Pakistan a bowling attack capable of troubling any batting order. Neither spinner needs to move far up the table to make an impact at this Asia Cup.

The Climbers Outside the Top Ten

South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba sits fourth in the T20I bowling rankings with 718 points, a strong return for a bowler who spent much of the year working her way up from outside the top ten. Marizanne Kapp rounds out the current top ten in tenth place with 681 points.

Further down the list, Australia’s Annabel Sutherland (673) and Georgia Wareham (671) sit just outside the top ten, alongside New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr (669) and West Indies captain Hayley Matthews (666). None of these players sit at the very top of the table yet, but their presence shows how much depth has built up behind the leading names this year.

Top 10 ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings

Rank	Player	Team	Rating
1	Sree Charani	India	759
2	Sophie Ecclestone	England	723
3	Charlie Dean	England	722
4	Nonkululeko Mlaba	South Africa	718
5	Lauren Bell	England	712
6	Linsey Smith	England	704
7	Deepti Sharma	India	703
8	Nashra Sundhu	Pakistan	701
9	Sadia Iqbal	Pakistan	689
10	Marizanne Kapp	South Africa	681

Snapshot as of 7 September 2026.

Top 10 ICC Women’s ODI Bowling Rankings

Rank	Player	Team	Rating
1	Alana King	Australia	753
2	Sophie Ecclestone	England	717
3	Ashleigh Gardner	Australia	715
4	Hayley Matthews	West Indies	670
5	Marizanne Kapp	South Africa	650
6	Annabel Sutherland	Australia	646
7	Megan Schutt	Australia	624
8	Kim Garth	Australia	614
9	Deepti Sharma	India	614
10	Nahida Akter	Bangladesh	599

Snapshot as of 7 August 2026, the most recent full update available for this format. Fewer ODI fixtures have been played since, so this table has held steadier than the T20I list above.

The gap at the top of this table tells its own story. Alana King has pulled clear of Sophie Ecclestone, who led the ODI bowling rankings for a long stretch before Australia’s spin-bowling all-rounder overtook her. Ashleigh Gardner keeps Australia’s grip on the format tight in third, giving the team three bowlers inside the top six.

What the Asia Cup Could Change Next

The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 is being played in T20I format in Dubai, and it gives several bowlers a real chance to shift the table again before the month ends. India and Pakistan met on September 6, a fixture with plenty riding on it for both attacks.

A strong tournament for Charani could stretch her lead at the top even further past Ecclestone and Dean. A big showing from Sundhu or Iqbal could close the gap on the leaders instead. Bowlers from associate sides such as Thailand also get rare exposure against full-member batting lineups during this tournament, and that kind of exposure can move a ranking even without a trophy attached.

Key Takeaways

• New No. 1: Sree Charani leads the T20I bowling rankings with 759 points, well clear of Sophie Ecclestone in second.
• Crowded top six: England places four bowlers among the top six T20I bowlers in the world.
• Pakistan’s pair: Nashra Sundhu sits eighth and Sadia Iqbal ninth in T20I bowling.
• ODI leader changed hands: Alana King now tops the ODI bowling table, ahead of long-time leader Sophie Ecclestone.
• Australia’s ODI strength: Three Australians, King, Gardner, and Sutherland, sit inside the ODI top six.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the current No. 1 in the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings? India’s Sree Charani holds the top spot with a rating of 759 points.

Who leads the ODI bowling rankings? Australia’s Alana King leads the ODI bowling rankings with 753 rating points.

Where do Pakistan’s spinners rank in T20I bowling? Nashra Sundhu sits eighth and Sadia Iqbal sits ninth in the T20I bowling rankings.

How many England bowlers sit in the T20I top ten? England places four bowlers, Ecclestone, Dean, Bell, and Smith, inside the T20I top six.

Could the Women’s Asia Cup change the rankings again? Yes, strong performances at the Asia Cup could push several bowlers up or down the table.

Conclusion

The ICC Women’s Bowling Rankings for September 2026 show a table still settling after a packed year of cricket. Sree Charani sits on top of the T20I list with daylight between her and the chasing pack, England still holds four places inside the top six, and Pakistan’s spinners remain within reach of the leaders. Over in the ODI format, Alana King has taken the lead away from Sophie Ecclestone, with Australia stacking three bowlers near the summit. With the Asia Cup still underway and more Championship fixtures ahead, do not expect either table to stay the same for long.