Pakistan Cricket Players Face Declines in ICC T20I Rankings

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricket players have seen significant drops in the latest ICC T20I rankings following consecutive defeats in their ongoing five-match series against New Zealand. The national team’s performance in the series has had a notable impact on the rankings of key players.

Former captain Babar Azam, who is currently absent from the T20I squad, has dropped one position to eighth place with 702 ranking points. White-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan has maintained his ninth position in the batting rankings. Meanwhile, young talent Saim Ayub has seen a three-place decline, slipping to 62nd with 473 points.

New Zealand’s strong 2-0 lead in the series has propelled several of their players up the rankings. Wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert has made the most remarkable rise, climbing 20 places to 13th after outstanding performances of 44 and 45 runs. Opening batsman Finn Allen also benefited from consistent performances, moving up eight spots to 18th following contributions of 29* and 38.

Australia’s Travis Head continues to dominate the T20I batting rankings, maintaining his position at the top, with India’s Abhishek Sharma and England’s Phil Salt rounding out the top three.

Pakistan’s bowling department has also seen major changes in the rankings. Star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has dropped six places to 29th with 575 points, following subpar performances in the series. In contrast, pace bowler Haris Rauf has gained four spots, reaching 26th with 586 points after claiming two wickets in the second T20I against New Zealand.

Other Pakistan bowlers have also experienced ranking shifts. Abbas Afridi, who has not played in the current series, has fallen three places to 44th, while Naseem Shah has dropped two positions to 78th. Vice-captain and all-rounder Shadab Khan has faced the most significant decline, falling ten places to 82nd.

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New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy has been the standout performer among bowlers, climbing 23 spots to 12th with a career-high ranking after his exceptional haul of six wickets in the first two matches of the series.

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein maintains his top position in the T20I bowling rankings, followed by India’s Varun Chakaravarthy in second and England’s Adil Rashid in third.

With three more matches left in the series, Pakistan’s players will have opportunities to improve their rankings, while New Zealand’s top performers will look to continue their rise in the standings.