Wolvaardt, Ismail, Brits soar up ICC T20 rankings after historic World Cup

Proteas openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits have attained career-best positions in the ICC T20I player rankings after helping their team reach their first ICC Women's T20 World Cup final.

The Proteas fell 19 runs short at Newlands as Australia sealed their sixth T20 World Cup title.

READ | Proteas trio named in Women's T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament

Wolvaardt ended as the highest run-scorer in the tournament with 230 runs, including 61 in the final at Newlands.

The Proteas opener scored 22 fours and a tournament-high of five sixes as she passed the half-century mark thrice during the World Cup. 

Wolvaardt, who made back-to-back fifties, shot up eight places to sixth in the ICC T20I batting rankings. 

STAT ATTACK | Proteas lead the way at T20 World Cup as Wolvaardt, Brits, Kapp shine 

Brits smashed back-to-back 50s to guide South Africa to the final, making 186 runs across the tournament.

Her Player of the Match effort of 68 in the semi-final against England saw Brits advance five places to 12th position. 

Meanwhile, South African seamers Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka also moved up in the T20 bowling rankings.

Ismail's eight wickets in the tournament saw her return to the top 10 as she progressed from 11th to seventh.

Khaka, who took seven wickets in the tournament, advanced seven places from 21st to 14th. Nonkululeko Mlaba remained second following her six wickets in the World Cup.

ICC T20 Bowling Rankings

1. Sophie Ecclestone (England) - 801

2. Nonkululeko Mlaba (South Africa) - 746

3. Darcie Brown - 737 

4. Sarah Glenn (England) - 734

5. Deepti Sharma (India) - 729

6. Megan Schutt (Australia) - 709

7. Shabnim Ismail (South Africa) - 703

8. Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand) - 701

9. Renuka Singh (India) - 700

10. Ashleigh Gardner