Indian cricketers Jhulan Goswami and Harmanpreet Kaur's brilliant performances in the just-concluded ICC Women's World Cup lifted them to the No.2 and No.6 spots respectively in the latest International Cricket Council rankings for bowlers and batswomen, released here on Tuesday.
Harmanpreet vaulted seven slots to the No.6 position after firing a swashbuckling unbeaten 171 to help India defeat Australia by 36 runs in the semi-final and followed that with a fighting 51 in the final, which India narrowly lost to England by nine runs at Lord's on Sunday, according to an ICC statement.
The Punjab batswoman is now the second Indian to feature in the top-10 after her second-ranked skipper Mithali Raj, who is 10 points behind Australia captain Meg Lanning. Australia's Ellyse Perry is third, trailing Raj by 12 points.
Apart from Harmanpreet, opener Punam Raut has gained five slots to reach 14th position after scores of 86 and 14 in the final and semi-final respectively, while Veda Krishnamurthy has gained seven slots to reach a career-best 26th position following scores of 35 in the final and 16 not out in the semi-final.
Among the bowlers, world's leading wicket-taker in One-day Internationals (ODI) Jhulan Goswami has gained four slots to reach the second position and within four points of South Africa's Marizanne Kapp.
The 34-year-old India pacer had figures of 3/23 in the final and 2/35 in the semi-final.
Jhulan's new-ball partner Shikha Pandey (up one place to 12th) and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (up six places to a career-best 28th) are other India bowlers to move up.
As for the ICC Women's Team rankings, there was no change in positions with Australia retaining top spot at 128 points.
England have gained one point to reach 125 in second position, while New Zealand and India remain on 118 and 113 points, respectively. The West Indies (105), South Africa (93), Pakistan (73) and Sri Lanka (67) follow.
--IANS
tri/vt
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