Bangladesh may have fallen short against Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup, but pacer Marufa Akter emerged with plenty to celebrate, jumping to a career high position in the latest ICC women's T20I bowling rankings.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) released its weekly rankings update on Tuesday, with several Bangladesh cricketers registering gains following the recent fixture, even as the team itself came up short chasing a target of 114.
Marufa was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of three for 21 from her four overs as Bangladesh kept the contest alive for much longer than the modest chase suggested it might last.
That spell has propelled her up 19 places to 18th in the world, marking her first ever appearance inside the top 20 and comfortably surpassing her previous career best of 23rd, achieved back in 2024.
Her rating has also climbed to a personal best of 622 points, cementing her position as Bangladesh's highest ranked bowler across the women's T20I list, ahead of teammates in both the pace and spin departments.
Off spinner Sultana Khatun also made notable progress, rising nine places to a share of 37th after conceding just 14 runs from her four overs while claiming a solitary wicket during the defeat.
Elsewhere among Bangladesh's bowlers, however, the picture was less positive. Rabeya Khan slipped one place to 22nd, while Nahida Akter dropped four spots to 32nd following the latest round of rankings calculations.
At the top of the global bowling charts, India's Sri Charani retained her number one position, with Sophie Ecclestone and Sophie Devine completing an unchanged top three across the entire rankings update this week.
Bangladesh's batters also enjoyed a productive week on the rankings front. Sobhana Mostary, who top scored with 34 runs including four boundaries, moved up three places to reach 36th in the latest standings.
Dilara Akter climbed five spots to 62nd after her own knock of 26 runs studded with four fours, continuing a steady rise for the young opener across recent months of white ball cricket for Bangladesh.
Captain Nigar Sultana Joty managed only four runs in the defeat, yet still advanced one place to 21st after Sri Lanka's Imesha Dulani dropped a spot, leaving Joty as Bangladesh's highest ranked batter overall.
Opener Juairiya Ferdous rounded off the gains, rising six places to a share of 96th following an innings of 14 runs that included three boundaries against the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Australia's Beth Mooney continues to sit atop the T20I batting rankings, with Georgia Voll and Laura Wolvaardt occupying second and third respectively, as the top 16 places remained entirely unchanged this week.
In the all rounder standings, West Indies star Hayley Matthews retains top spot, with Amelia Kerr and Chamari Athapaththu completing the top three. Rabeya Khan remains Bangladesh's highest ranked player in that category, sitting 32nd overall.