Tuesday at 9: 00 a. m. ET. Alana King rose to the top of the ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings in the latest update, a jump triggered by seven wickets across three ODIs that included a 4-33 performance in the third match.
Alana King’s rankings leap and the numbers behind it
King reached a career-high rating of 775 after ending England spinner Sophie Ecclestone’s 1, 450-day hold on the No. 1 spot. She took seven wickets at an average of 16. 71 across the week, including a four-wicket haul that helped her side to a 185-run victory in the third ODI.
How the recent ODI series made this move possible
The climb to No. 1 came after three one-day matches played in the same week of action. King led both teams in wicket-taking during that span and recorded her career-best rating as a direct result of those performances. Her form also left her as one of several Australians rising in the rankings, with multiple teammates placed inside the top eight for bowlers.
MCG performance and the Test plans in Perth
King’s recent Test form remains part of the picture: she took nine wickets in the last Test at the MCG in January 2025, including 5-53 in the second innings and delivering 46. 3 overs across the match. That Test success informs her current focus in Perth, where she has said she wants to bowl long spells with the pink ball and make the WACA Ground favorable for spin in the day-night Test.
Having missed selection for the T20I leg of the multi-format series, King concentrated on the ODI matches and used the extended bowling opportunities in the 50-over game to showcase the work she has put into her craft. She has expressed the goal of staying at the top and continuing to refine her bowling through longer spells.
King’s week of results also coincided with other milestones in the latest rankings update: Smriti Mandhana moved to No. 1 in the ODI batting rankings, and several Australian players shifted positions in both batting and all-rounder lists, reflecting the series’ broader impact on the standings.
The next confirmed milestone for King is the ongoing day-night Test in Perth this week; the first session is scheduled to begin at 10: 00 p. m. ET. If she maintains the form that produced her seven wickets in the ODI week, selectors and ranking officials expect her rating to hold or improve after the Test concludes.
