WODI Rankings: Mandhana maintains top spot, Deepti moves up to 3rd place in bowlers' list
Dubai (PTI): Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana remained on top in the Women's ODI Batter Rankings, extending her lead over England skipper Nat-Sciver Brunt by 83 points in the latest list published by the ICC on Tuesday.
In the bowling section, Indian off-spinner Deepti Sharma has moved up to the third place with left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone from England leading the charts.
Mandhana has scored consecutive half-centuries in the ongoing World Cup, with her most recent effort coming against England when she contributed a stylish innings of 88 during a narrow loss for India in Indore.
Mandhana has hit a purple patch of late, with the left-hander having been adjudged the ICC Women's Player of the Month for September 2025 for her exploits in the ODI series against Australia that preceded the World Cup.
Australia skipper Alyssa Healy gained one place to improve to third overall following consecutive centuries at the World Cup, with in-form South African Tazmin Brits (up one spot to ninth) also making ground inside the top 10 on the back of her own efforts with the bat.
There was also some movement outside the top 10, with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (up three places to 15th), Australia opener Phoebe Litchfield (up five spots to 17th) and England veteran Heather Knight (up 15 rungs to 18th) all rewarded for their strong form with the bat at the World Cup.
Among bowlers, Deepti made some good ground as she rose three spots to become third overall following 13 wickets so far from five matches in the World Cup.
Australia spinner Alana King improved two places to seventh overall, while a trio of Pakistan players Nashra Sundhu (up three spots to 11th), Sadia Iqbal (up five rungs to equal 14th) and Fatima Sana (up five places to 24th) have also been rewarded for their impressive performances.
Fatima also made ground on the list for ODI all-rounders headed by Australia's Ash Gardner as she improved five places to 15th, while Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu gained one place to jump to seventh.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
