T20 World Cup 2021: Babar Azam pips Dawid Malan to reclaim top spot in ICC T20I batting rankings

Babar Azam is having a great time in the ongoing T20 World Cup while leading Pakistan.

Babar Azam | GettyPakistan skipper Babar Azam has surpassed England’s Dawid Malan to attain the pole position in the ICC Men's T20I rankings for betters.

Azam achieved the top slot after his successive half-centuries in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman.

Babar, who scored 51 against Afghanistan and 70 against Namibia to power Pakistan to the semifinals, is occupying the first spot for the sixth time in his career. The 27-year-old had first achieved this feat on January 28, 2018.

Notably, the Pakistan captain holds the No. 1 position in ODIs as well. Babar's tally of 834 rating points keeps him 36 points ahead of Malan in T20I rankings. The England left-hander had been at the top since November 29 last year.

England’s Jos Buttler has also made a significant mark in the batting rankings, moving up eight spots to 9th off the back of his 214 runs in the T20 World Cup 2021.

Other notable gainers with the bat include Jason Roy (up five places to 14th), David Miller (up six places to 33rd, and South African captain Temba Bavuma (up 35 spots to 52nd).

There was also a change at the top of the T20I bowling rankings, with Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga replacing South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi from the pinnacle.

Hasaranga has claimed 14 wickets in Sri Lanka's seven T20 World Cup matches thus far. He also took a hat-trick against South Africa.

Other big gainers in the bowling chart include South Africa's Anrich Nortje (up 18 spots to 7th), Dwaine Pretorius (up 65 spots to 34th) and Shoriful Islam of Bangladesh, jumping 77 places to 38th.

As far as all-rounders' ranking is concerned – Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi has caught up with Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan on 271 rating points. Hasaranga is fourth on this list after making vital contributions with the bat.

(With ICC inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 03 Nov, 2021

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