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The latest ICC Men’s T20I rankings have delivered plenty of talking points ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, with consistent performers holding their ground and comeback stories adding fresh excitement. India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to dominate the batting charts, while Pakistan’s Saim Ayub has surged back to the summit of the all-rounder rankings after a commanding home series.
Abhishek Sharma remains the gold standard in T20I batting
India opener Abhishek has retained his numero uno position among T20I batters, underlining his growing stature as one of the most reliable top-order players in the format. His sustained run of impactful performances has kept him comfortably ahead of the chasing pack, even as movement intensified within the top 10.
England star Jos Buttler climbed to third, reaffirming his importance as a big-match player, while Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka rose to fifth after a string of composed innings. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav advanced to sixth, continuing his steady return to form, and New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert moved into ninth.
Ishan Kishan’s comeback fuels dramatic rise
One of the most eye-catching jumps belongs to Ishan Kishan, who rocketed 32 places to No. 32 following a productive return against New Zealand. Kishan struck scores of 76, 28 and a scintillating 103 in the three-match series, instantly stamping his authority after time away from international cricket. His sharp rise reflects both volume and impact, with the left-hander’s aggressive intent at the top giving India added flexibility heading into the global event.
South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton was another major mover, jumping 42 spots to 40th, while Australia’s Cameron Green climbed 16 places to 14th. Former Proteas skipper Quinton de Kock also made gains, rising 15 positions to joint-22nd.
Bowlers tighten the race ahead of World Cup
The bowling rankings saw England leg-spinner Adil Rashid move up to fourth, while New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner surged eight places to joint-23rd. Both are expected to be central to their teams’ World Cup strategies, especially on spin-friendly surfaces.
Seven different teams now feature inside the top 11 of the batting rankings, highlighting the competitive balance across nations as the tournament draws closer.
Saim Ayub returns to all-rounder summit as Pakistan surge
Pakistan enjoyed a particularly rewarding update, led by Ayub, who reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the T20I all-rounder rankings after a dominant 3-0 home whitewash against Australia. The 23-year-old scored 119 runs and picked up three wickets, displacing Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza from the top.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed climbed to second in the bowling rankings, closing the gap on India’s Varun Chakravarthy, while left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz jumped eight places to seventh. Nawaz also moved up to fourth in the all-rounder list, rounding off a strong week for Pakistan as the T20 World Cup, starting February 7, edges closer.
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