ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the latest T20 rankings, with Pakistan’s Saim Ayub rising to the top as the world’s number one all-rounder.
Ayub climbed four places to secure the first position, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya.
Ayub was in excellent touch with the ball in particular at the Asia Cup as he collected eight wickets and his efforts saw him rise four places overall and overtake Pandya in the No.1 spot for all-rounders.
Pandya drops to second and eight rating points behind Ayub, while Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz (up four spots to 13th).
Other Pakistani players also improved their rankings. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz moved up four spots to 13th, while batter Sahibzada Farhan jumped 11 places to reach 13th position.
Shaheen Afridi rose 12 spots to equal 13th, while Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain climbed six places to 20th, thanks to strong performances during the tournament.
Meanwhile, in the bowlers’ rankings, Abrar Ahmed slipped three places and is now ranked seventh.
Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka (up three places to equal 30th) were the other players to make ground in the all-rounder category this week.
Meanwhile, India’s Abhishek Sharma achieved the highest-ever rating for a T20I batter. Sharma, who was named Player of the Tournament at the Asia Cup after scoring 314 runs at an average of 44.85, now holds a record 931 rating points, surpassing English cricketer Dawid Malan’s previous best of 919 from 2020. His dominant performances not only cemented India’s batting dominance but also highlighted the stiff competition emerging from both sides of the border.
