Proteas spinner Mlaba moves to career-best 2nd in ICC T20 rankings | Sport

Nonkululeko Mlaba

• Proteas women spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba has climbed to second in the ICC T20I bowling rankings
• Mlaba took two for 16 as the Proteas won the Tri-Series final against India in East London.
• Ismail remains ninth in the bowling rankings, while Laura Wolvaardt slipped.

Proteas women spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba climbed to second position in the ICC T20I Rankings after her fine performance in the Tri-Series between India and West Indies.

Last week, the Proteas defeated India by five wickets to win the Tri-Series final against India at Buffalo Park.

Mlaba took two wickets for 16 in the final in East London to finish with six wickets overall in the Tri-Series.

The 22-year-old left-arm spinner claimed the wicket of opener Smriti Mandhana for one in the second over and then claimed the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues as India was restricted to 109/4.

Mlaba moved to a career-best 753 rating points, just 10 points behind England’s Sophie Ecclestone.

READ | Proteas women look for home comfort after troubled World Cup build-up

Proteas all-rounder Chloe Tryon was the main mover with the bat, following her unbeaten 57 in the final, and subsequently climbed to 41st in the batting rankings.

Meanwhile, Proteas opener Laura Wolvaardt fell out of the Top 10 batting rankings after an indifferent Tri-Series as she slipped to 12th in the batting rankings.

Proteas fast bowler Shabnim Ismail remains in ninth position despite going wicketless in the Tri-Series.

South Africa will host this week’s upcoming T20 Women’s World Cup in Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha from 10-26 February.

Following their 17-run loss to England in a Stellenbosch warm-up, the Proteas play their final warm-up against Pakistan on Wednesday at Boland Park (14:30).

Sune Luus’ side opens their World Cup campaign on Friday against Sri Lanka at Newlands.

Play starts at 19:00.

ICC T20 Bowling Rankings

1. Sophie Ecclestone (England) – 763

2. Nonkululeko Mlaba (South Africa) – 753

3. Deepti Sharma (India) – 741

4. Sarah Glenn (England) – 726

5. Megan Schutt (Australia) – 700

6. Sneh Rana (India) – 699

7. Katherine Brunt (England) – 680

8. Renuka Singh (India) – 671

9. Shabnim Ismail (South Africa) – 671

10. Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand) – 664

ICC T20 Batting Rankings

1. Tahlia McGrath (Australia) – 803

2. Beth Mooney (Australia) – 765

3. Smriti Mandhana (India) – 722

4. Sophie Devine (New Zealand) – 714

5. Meg Lanning (Australia) – 686

6. Ashleigh Gardner (Australia) – 656

7. Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 648

8. Shafali Verma (India) – 623

9. Alyssa Healy (Australia) – 618

10. Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) – 612