Kranti Gaud, Nandani Sharma climb ICC women's T20I bowling rankings

Two young Indian pace bowlers, Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma, have moved up the International Cricket Council (ICC) women's Twenty20 International (T20I) bowling rankings after strong spells against Zimbabwe. In the update published on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Kranti Gaud rose nine places to 43rd and Nandani Sharma jumped 26 places to 45th with a career-best rating of 507 points. India spinners Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma stayed first and second in the bowling table.

For young athletes, rankings are more than a number. The ICC's player rankings rate every international cricketer on a points scale based on their recent performances, giving more weight to good performances against stronger teams and to recent matches. A sharp rise tells selectors, team managements and franchise owners in women's T20 leagues that a player is performing consistently at the international level.

Both bowlers are seamers, and that matters for India: the country's two top-ranked T20I bowlers, Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma, are spinners. Having fast bowlers who can take wickets with the new ball and at the end of an innings gives the team more options, especially on pitches abroad that help pace bowling.

Nandani's jump of 26 places in one update is the bigger move. Her career-best rating of 507 came from three wickets in two games, and her three for 18 in the final match of the series means she is likely to climb again when the next table is published. Kranti's steady rise of nine places reflects regular wickets in each match.

For young players reading this, the path is clear from these numbers: international rankings reward consistency over a run of matches, not one big game. Domestic performances lead to national selection, and once there, each series is a chance to move up. Players outside the top 50 can climb fast with a few strong outings, as Nandani did.

What fans and aspiring cricketers can do next: follow the ICC's weekly ranking updates on its website, and watch for India's next women's T20I assignment, where both bowlers will try to build on this series.

Short-term: Both bowlers enter the next stage of the season with improved standing, and Nandani's third-match spell should lift her rating further in the next update.

Long-term: If they keep taking wickets, India will have a stronger group of seam bowlers in the T20 format alongside its top-ranked spinners, which gives selectors more balance for major tournaments.

Who is affected: Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma, India's women's team selectors and coaches, women's T20 league franchises, and young fast bowlers who follow their progress.

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