Indian cricket star Hardik Pandya has claimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I All-Rounder Rankings following his stellar performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
Pandya’s impressive contributions with both bat and ball propelled him up two positions in the rankings, tying him with Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga for the top spot. This marks a historic moment for Indian cricket, as Pandya becomes the first Indian player to achieve this feat in the T20I all-rounder category.
Throughout the tournament, Pandya delivered impactful cameos with the bat, scoring 144 runs at a blistering strike rate exceeding 150. His bowling prowess also shone through, claiming a crucial 11 wickets.
The all-rounder’s defining moment came in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. With the South Africans in a commanding position, Pandya’s dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen shifted the momentum of the match decisively.
He further cemented his hero status by bowling a nail-biting final over, successfully defending 16 runs and securing India’s T20 World Cup victory.
The T20I rankings update saw movement beyond Pandya’s rise. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, and England’s Liam Livingstone all climbed one spot each. Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan slipped four positions, falling out of the top five.
The Men’s T20I bowling rankings witnessed significant changes as well. South Africa’s Anrich Nortje rocketed seven places to claim a career-best second position, just behind the top-ranked Adil Rashid.
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who bagged the Player of the Tournament award for his 15 wickets, jumped 12 spots, reaching his highest ranking since late 2020.
Kuldeep Yadav, another Indian spinner, entered the top ten of the bowling rankings with a three-spot climb to joint-eighth position. Youngster Arshdeep Singh, who topped the wicket charts at the World Cup, moved up four spots to a career-best No. 13, while Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa climbed five positions to reach the top 15.
The batting rankings remained relatively stable, with only minor changes as South African skipper Aiden Markram dropped two spots after a quiet tournament with the bat.