- Anushka Sharma ranks fourth globally
- She is the only Indian in the top five
- She is the only cricket-linked figure on the list
- Kim Kardashian leads with 343 million followers
- The 22 women collectively have 1.21 billion followers
Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma has secured the fourth spot on a global ranking of the most popular and followed athlete partners, according to a list released by media publication Vanticks.
The ranking places Sharma among some of the world's most recognizable celebrity figures, including Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift and Georgina Rodriguez.
Sharma is the only Indian and the only figure associated with cricket to appear in the global top five. Her position also reflects her reach as an established actress and public figure, rather than being based solely on her marriage to Indian cricketer Virat Kohli.
Kim Kardashian leads the ranking
Kim Kardashian occupies the top position with 343 million followers, according to the Vanticks ranking.
Taylor Swift is placed second with 272 million followers, while Georgina Rodriguez ranks third with 78.3 million.
Sharma takes fourth place, followed by Brazilian influencer Virginia Fonseca, who has 56.5 million followers and is associated with footballer Vinicius Junior.
The ranking is dominated by women connected to football, although figures from other sports also feature prominently.
Anushka Sharma is the only cricket name in the top five
Anushka Sharma's inclusion gives cricket a place among the five most-followed athlete partners on the list.
Sharma and Kohli married on December 11, 2017. However, the ranking also highlights her independent profile. She had already established herself as a Bollywood actress and public figure before her relationship with Kohli became part of her public identity.
This distinction is particularly relevant to the modern use of the term WAGs, which originally referred primarily to the wives and girlfriends of high-profile footballers.
From WAGs to independent celebrity brands
According to the Vanticks report, the category has evolved beyond women being recognized primarily through their relationships with athletes.
The women featured on the wider list have their own careers and audiences across entertainment, business, music, acting and social media. Their follower counts therefore represent their individual digital reach as well as the attention generated by their relationships with sports personalities.
The broader ranking includes 22 women with a combined following of more than 1.21 billion, according to the report.
Football has the largest representation, with 11 women collectively accounting for 341.3 million followers. American football has five representatives with a combined 376.5 million followers.
Formula One has one representative at the top of the ranking, while cricket's presence is represented by Sharma.
The list ultimately reflects how the traditional WAG label has expanded into a broader category of celebrity partners with substantial independent public profiles and social-media audiences.
