Top 7 Best Women Openers in ODIs (2026 Updated Rankings)

Opening the batting in One Day International (ODI) cricket is a challenging task. You have to face the new ball when it’s swinging and seaming. You have to face fast bowlers operating at their quickest pace. You have to survive the initial overs when wickets tend to fall easily. You also have to score runs quickly to set a match-winning total. The balance between survival and scoring runs is what separates good openers from great ones.

In 2026, seven women stand out as the best openers in ODI cricket. They hail from India, South Africa, Australia, and England. They have scored thousands of runs. They anchor the innings. They attack when the conditions are in their favor. They have won matches for their countries. Their statistics speak for themselves. Their performances in major tournaments have further solidified their status.

1. Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana is from India. She is the number one ranked opener in ODI cricket. She finished 2025 as the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs worldwide, accumulating 1,362 runs. Her average was approximately 61.9, and her strike rate was approximately 109.9. She scored five centuries and five half-centuries.

These statistics are phenomenal. An average of nearly sixty-two and a strike rate of almost one hundred and ten means scoring runs quickly without losing many wickets. Most batters can only do one of these things. Very few can do both. Mandhana consistently does both.

She is one of the most consistent top-order batters in women’s cricket. She anchors the Indian innings. When she bats for a long time, India posts a big score. When she scores quickly, India puts early pressure on the opposition. She gives India options that very few other batters provide.

Her outstanding run-scoring record and her impact at the top of the order justify her number one ranking. No other opener scored more runs than her in 2025. No other opener displayed such a combination of average and strike rate. She is the best.

2. Laura Wolvaardt

Laura Wolvaardt is from South Africa. She is the second-ranked opener in ODI cricket. She scored 1,174 ODI runs in 2025, the second-highest total worldwide, behind only Smriti Mandhana. Following a historic World Cup, she rose to number one in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings.

In the World Cup, she scored a record number of runs, including centuries in both the semi-final and the final. Scoring centuries in knockout matches demonstrates composure and skill under immense pressure. Semi-finals and finals are watched by millions. Mistakes are magnified, and successes are remembered. Wolvaardt performed when it mattered most.

Her outstanding World Cup performance and top ICC ranking highlight her exceptional opening abilities. She is currently ranked number one by the ICC, but is listed here at number two because Mandhana’s 2025 run total was higher. Rankings reflect recent form, while career runs demonstrate consistent excellence. Both indicate that Wolvaardt is truly a world-class opener.

3. Shafali Verma

Shafali Verma is from India. She is a formidable opening batter. She has been a regular opener for India in recent ODIs and the 2025 World Cup. Although her overall average might be modest, her impact is immense.

In the World Cup final, she scored 87 runs. This innings came at a time when India needed a strong start, and she delivered exactly that. Her aggressive batting style immediately puts pressure on the bowlers. She doesn’t defend in the first ten overs; she attacks from the very beginning.

Her aggressive style and crucial innings at the top of the order have made her one of the best ODI openers. Not every opener needs to have a high average. Some openers benefit the team by providing a quick start, allowing the middle-order batters to score freely later on. Verma consistently provides such quick starts.

4. Phoebe Litchfield

Phoebe Litchfield is from Australia. She is a consistently high-performing young opening batter. She has opened the batting for Australia in ODIs and has already scored a century and several half-centuries early in her career. In the 2025 World Cup, she scored 304 runs at an average of approximately 50.67 and a strike rate of around 112.

An average of over 50 in a World Cup is exceptional. A strike rate of 112 means she was consistently scoring more than a run a ball throughout the tournament. This combination of average and strike rate demonstrates her class.

Her strong contributions at the top of the order and impressive ODI statistics make her a deserving inclusion on this list. She is young, and her career has only just begun. If she maintains her current standards for the next ten years, she could challenge all-time records.

5. Tammy Beaumont

Tammy Beaumont is from England. She is an experienced ODI opener. She has been England’s opener for years, and her ODI numbers are excellent, including several centuries. She has been part of many impactful opening partnerships for England, including a historic one with Amy Jones.

Experience in the top order is crucial. You learn which balls to defend and which to attack. You learn to read the pitch conditions and adjust your game accordingly. You learn to handle the pressure of big matches. Beaumont possesses this experience. She has been playing for England for years. She has opened in World Cups and championship tournaments.

Her experience, consistency, and proven ODI success at the top of the order make her one of the best players around. Her strike rate might not be as high as some of the younger players, but she is reliable. Teams know she will give them a good start. She will stay at the crease. She will score runs.

6. Amy Jones

Amy Jones is from England. She is a powerful opening batter. She recently reaffirmed her status as a top ODI opener by scoring multiple centuries in a single series. In one innings, she scored 129 runs off 98 balls. She and Beaumont shared a historic opening partnership of over 200 runs.

Scoring 129 runs off 98 balls is aggressive batting. It means boundaries were being hit regularly. It means the bowling attack was being dominated. To do this while opening the innings means facing the new ball and still scoring at that rate. Very few batters can do that.

Her recent opening form and big scores in ODIs place her among the elite players. She also keeps wickets, which further enhances her value. Wicketkeeper-batters who can open the batting provide a crucial balance to the team.

7. Tazmin Brits

Tazmin Brits is from South Africa. She is a formidable top-order batter. She has an excellent ODI record and has performed brilliantly in major series. According to the ICC batting rankings, she is among the top-rated batters and frequently opens the batting for South Africa. She scored one of the fastest ODI centuries in a World Cup playoff match, reaching the milestone in just eighty-six balls.

Scoring a century in eighty-six balls is a rare achievement. It requires consistently aggressive play and frequent boundary hitting. Scoring runs at such a rapid pace in World Cup matches, where the pressure is immense, is exceptional. This innings demonstrates what she is capable of when the conditions suit her game.

Her consistent run-scoring and significant individual achievements are the reasons for her inclusion on this list. Although her overall run tally is not yet as high as Mandhana or Wolvaardt, her performances in crucial matches show that she is one of the best players in the world.

Read More: Top 7 Best Women Openers in Tests (2026 Updated Rankings)