Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana two Indians in top-five in ICC T20I rankings after impressive England tour

Dubai, July 20: Indian women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana has attained her career-best T2oI rankings third position after slamming a fine 70 in the final and deciding match of their series against England.

Mandhana who is the vice-captain of the T20I side has equalled her career-best rankings in the shortest format of the game. Despite Mandhana's exploits with the bat India failed to post a decent total on the board and lost the game and series. It was the only match played in the format over the past week.

India's teen sensation Shafali Verma - who was dismissed early in the 3rd T20I - continues to stay at the top spot with 759 rating points. Australia's Beth Mooney is placed second with 744 points.

In other gains for India players, all-rounder Deepti Sharma inched up one spot to 36th position and teenaged wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh has moved up nine spots to 72nd position among batters.

England opener Danielle Wyatt's match-winning 89 not out has lifted her four places to 17th position among batters while Katherine Brunt is in the top 10, gaining four slots to reach the seventh position after accounting for openers Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Natalie Sciver has moved up five places to joint-17th among bowlers.

India lost the three-match T20I series against England 2-1. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side lost the opening T20I but came back strongly to win the second match and took the series for a decider. Mandhana batted beautifully in the third T20I but couldn't find much support from the rest of her teammates and posted a below-par total on the board. In response, English women overhauled the target for the loss of three wickets and clinched the series.