The 27-year-old Indian now occupies the fifth spot with 344 points, in a list headed by Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner.
Athapaththu, who scored 25 runs and took three wickets during the series (which New Zealand won 2-0), overtook Black Ferns veteran Sophie Devine to share the seventh spot with Australia’s Annabel Sutherland.
In the ODI batting rankings, Smriti Mandhana continued to be the only Indian in the top 10, occupying second place behind South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt.
Nat Sciver-Brunt is now ranked third, having overtaken Athapaththu for the position.