Babar Azam moves up to career best sixth position in T20I rankings
- By Web Desk -
- Sep 17, 2017
Pakistan batsman Babar Azam has risen 21 spots to grab a career-best sixth position in the ICC T20I Player Rankings.
Babar was the player of the series and helped complete a 2-1 victory over the World XI in the Independence Cup series played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The 22-year-old started with a fine innings of 86 and followed with two other useful knocks of 45 and 48 to finish as the highest run scorer in the series with 179 runs, eight more than his compatriot Ahmed Shehzad, who has gained nine slots to reach joint-22nd position.
Shoaib Malik was another Pakistan batsman to gain a spot in the latest ranking as his 94 runs in the series saw him gain four slots to reach 30th position. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan has gained 32 places to reach 66th rank among bowlers.
As for the World Series, Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera gained 16 slots to reach 53rd place among batsmen and has also moved up 13 slots to take 79th position among bowlers, while South Africa batsman Hashim Amla has moved up three places to 12th position.
West Indies batsman Evin Lewis’s knock of 51 has helped him gain one spot to reach a career-best third position while his opening partner Chris Gayle’s score of 40 has helped him gain four slots to reach joint-22nd position.
Among its bowlers, Carlos Brathwaite (up 17 places to 33rd) and Kesrick Williams (up 12th place to 61st) are the major gainers after taking three wickets each in Durham.
Similarly, England pace bowler Liam Plunkett (up 15 places to 23rd) and leg-spinner Adil Rashid (up 11 places to 28th) have ensured upward movement after their three-wicket hauls.
Meanwhile, the West Indies side has overtaken England in the ICC T20I Team Rankings. The Windies side was in fourth position with 117 points before the match but is now third with 120 points.
On the other hand, England has lost four points to slip from second to fourth position with 119 points.
Ranking
1 New Zealand
2 Pakistan
3 West Indies
4 England
5 India
6 South Africa
7 Australia
8 Sri Lanka
9 Afghanistan
10 Bangladesh