In the recent update of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings on Wednesday, Pakistani batsman Babar Azam showcased his prowess by climbing one place to secure the fourth position.
This impressive surge was attributed to his consecutive half-centuries in the first two matches against New Zealand. Joining him in the upward trajectory was Fakhar Zaman, who leaped an impressive 14 places, landing at the 81st spot.
The Kiwi camp also witnessed significant movements, with Daryll Mitchell climbing nine places to 37th and Kane Williamson making a notable ascent of 13 places, securing the 59th position. The reshuffling of ranks among these accomplished players added an extra layer of excitement to the ongoing T20I landscape.
Meanwhile, on the bowling front, India’s Axar Patel emerged as a standout performer, advancing an impressive 12 places to achieve a career-best fifth position.
Patel’s remarkable contributions, including figures of two for 23 and two for 16 in India’s consecutive six-wicket victories over Afghanistan, played a pivotal role in his ascent. Notably, these stellar performances also propelled him two places up in the all-rounders’ list, landing him at the 16th spot.
The Indian contingent saw a wave of positive movements in the rankings, fueled by strong showings in the series against Afghanistan. Opener Yashaswi Jaiswal’s blazing 34-ball 68 in the first T20I in Indore propelled him seven places to a career-best sixth position.
Another left-hander, Shivam Dube, showcased consistency with successive unbeaten innings of 60 and 63, catapulting him from the 265th to the 58th position in the rankings.
New Zealand’s Finn Allen also emerged as a rising star, making a remarkable 11-place jump to secure the 16th position among batters. His impactful performances, including innings of 34 off 15 and 74 off 41, were crucial in New Zealand’s success in the first two matches against Pakistan.
Teammate Tim Southee, with a commendable display of bowling prowess, secured eight places to reach the 18th spot among bowlers after claiming six wickets in the same matches.
Indian cricketer Shubman Gill ascended seven places to the 60th position among batters, Tilak Verma moved up three places to a joint-61st position among batters, and Arshdeep Singh climbed four places to secure the 21st spot among bowlers.
The Afghanistan duo of Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi also made strides in the batting rankings, ascending one place to 46th and two places to 54th, respectively.
Bowling rankings saw Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana share joint-third positions, each moving up one and two places, respectively.
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, showcasing his bowling prowess with a haul of five wickets in two matches, rose two places to a joint-14th position. Another noteworthy bowler, New Zealand’s Adam Milne, climbed from the 66th to the joint-47th position after securing six wickets in two matches.
