Pakistan bowler Sana Mir rises to top of ODI rankings

DUBAI (Web Desk) – Sana Mir, the veteran Pakistan bowler, topped the wicket-takers’ chart even as Pakistan went down 3-0 to Australia in their ICC Women’s Championship series. The series sweep was a good one for Australia, who extended their lead over New Zealand at the top of the table, while losses outnumbered wins for Pakistan, who are now down at No.6, just above South Africa and Sri Lanka on the table. But Mir, the 32-year-old former captain, had a good time out in Kuala Lumpur with her off-spin, returning 3/26, 1/37 and 3/53 to end at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for bowlers with a career-high 663 points. That lifted her three spots on the table, as she went past Marizanne Kapp of South Africa and Australia’s Megan Schutt as well as the out-of-action Jess Jonassen of Australia, who slipped from No.1 to No.4. "This is a team effort of support staff and players who have helped me excel," Mir said on Twitter. "I would also like to thank ICC for providing us regular opportunities to play with the big teams through ICC women Championship and to coach Mark Coles, who chose to look at my skill rather than my age." Ashleigh Gardner, the Australia off-spinner, also had a great time of it, with the ball of course, but also with the bat. She made the difference in the final game, where Alyssa Healy’s 97 was the top score for Australia, but Gardner’s 37-ball 62* from No.7 and then 3/44 was the real match-winning effort. Gardner moved up to a career-best No.17 (up nine spots) among bowlers as a result, and also to No.50 with a jump of eight spots in the list for batters. Meg Lanning, the Australia captain, was in great form in the second game, hitting 124. She retained her No.2 spot in the batters’ table, with 675 points, only six behind compatriot Ellyse Perry at the top. Nicole Bolton, meanwhile, didn’t have a good series, and dropped out of the top 10 after slipping six spots. Allysa Healy, however, went up two places to joint No.16 – with South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt.. The 574 points is her best to date. Among the Pakistan batters, Nahida Khan was solid, scoring 17, 66 and 37, and is now the 25th best in the world with a career-best 497 points.