The latest ICC T20I rankings have brought big changes, with India’s Varun Chakravarthy reaching the top among bowlers and Pakistan’s Saim Ayub making a strong jump as an all-rounder. Performances in the ongoing Asia Cup have played a major role in these updates.
Chakravarthy Reaches the Top
Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy has claimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I bowlers’ rankings, moving up three places. He overtook New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy to lead the chart.
Chakravarthy has been one of the standout bowlers in the Asia Cup. He picked up two wickets in the tournament with a strike rate of 18 and an economy rate of just 4.67 runs per over. His ability to keep runs down and strike regularly has been key to India’s bowling attack, earning him the top position in the world rankings.
Saim Ayub Shines as All-Rounder
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub has climbed into the top five T20I all-rounders, now sitting joint-fifth with West Indies’ Roston Chase. He moved up by four spots despite a mixed run with the bat, which included two ducks in his first two Asia Cup games.
However, Saim made up for it with the ball, taking five wickets in those matches. His all-round ability has helped Pakistan balance their side and also secured him recognition among the world’s best.
Other Key Ranking Changes
- Abhishek Sharma continues to hold the No. 1 rank among T20I batters, achieving a career-best 884 rating points.
- England’s Jos Buttler and Phil Salt now sit at 2nd and 3rd in the batting list.
- Sri Lanka’s pacer Nuwan Thushara broke into the top 10 bowlers, rising six places to 6th.
- Sufiyan Muqeem also made progress, climbing to 11th.
- Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan slipped one place, now ranked 10th among bowlers.
- Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan) and Kuldeep Yadav (India) made significant gains, moving to 16th and 23rd respectively.
A Tournament That Shapes Rankings
The Asia Cup has once again shown how impactful big tournaments are on ICC rankings. Strong bowling performances, like Chakravarthy’s tight spells, or all-round efforts, like Saim’s wickets despite poor batting starts, highlight how quickly fortunes can change.
Conclusion
Varun Chakravarthy’s rise to No. 1 and Saim Ayub’s progress as an all-rounder highlight how strong performances in key tournaments can quickly change the ICC rankings. With more matches to come, these rankings could see further shifts, keeping the race among top players highly competitive.
Written by Kinjal Walantra
