India’s star all-rounder Deepti Sharma finds herself on the brink of achieving a career-defining milestone. For the first time ever, the seasoned off-spinner is tantalisingly close to seizing the top spot in the ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings, trailing Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal by a mere eight rating points.

In the latest rankings, Deepti climbed to second place, leapfrogging Australia’s Annabel Sutherland, courtesy of her outstanding three-wicket haul in the third match of India’s five-game T20I series against England.

Another day, another Deepti Sharma masterclass ??#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #WomenInBlue pic.twitter.com/jKOTSb5amk

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 28, 2025

Remarkably consistent over the past six years, Deepti has been a permanent fixture inside the top 10 of the rankings. Yet, despite her sustained brilliance, the summit has so far eluded her. Now, at 27, she stands on the cusp of rewriting that narrative. With two matches still to play in the England series, the determined spinner has an excellent opportunity to overtake Sadia Iqbal and finally claim the coveted number one position, which stands as a fitting testament to her reliability and impact in the shortest format.