Ashleigh Gardner becomes No. 1 ranked allrounder in women's T20Is

Ashleigh Gardner's rise from one of the lowest points of her career now has an ICC stamp of authority as she was recognised as the No. 1 allrounder in women's T20Is. The 25-year old had a tough go of it in 2021, especially during that season's WBBL, where her team had to play all their matches on the road due to stringent Covid-19 restrictions. Now, thanks to her performances in 2022, she will herald the new year from the top of the allrounder's rankings, along with being No. 7 among the batters and 14th among the bowlers.

Gardner's recent exploits include a statement performance in a five-match T20I series against India, where she showcased an adeptness for pulling Australia out of trouble. In all, she made 115 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 167 and picked up seven wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 7. This is Gardner's first time topping the allrounder's rankings, moving up two spots to dethrone New Zealand's Sophie Devine.

India's Deepti Sharma was another standout performer from that series, with 128 runs at a strike rate of 164 and six wickets at an economy rate of 9.46. She is now the No. 3 allrounder in the world.

Smriti Mandhana (third), who played a significant role in India's only win of those five matches, and Shafali Verma (sixth), who will be leading India at the Under-19 World Cup next month, are rated among the top 10 batters in T20Is. The list is dominated by Australia though, with Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney leading the way, Meg Lanning, who will soon be coming out of an extended break, at No. 5, Gardner seventh and Alyssa Healy ninth.

Grace Harris, who announced herself with 132 runs at a strike rate of 203 across those five games against India, rose 33 places to No. 61. Jemimah Rodrigues, meanwhile, exited the top 10 after three single-digit scores in her last four innings.