Babar Azam rises in latest T20I, Test rankings
Cricket
The right hand batsman jumped one spot in T20I rankings to clinch sixth
(Dunya News) – Former skipper Babar Azam has improved its T20I and Test rankings issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.
The right hand batsman jumped one spot in T20I rankings to clinch sixth while he stood at 17th position after moving up by one spot.
Australia’s Travis Head continued to rule the T20I rankings with 855 points followed by England’s Phil Salt and India’s Tilak Varma at second and third position. Suryakumar Yadav and Jos Buttler have been ranked fourth and fifth in the rankings.
South Africa dasher Reeza Hendricks (up six rungs to equal ninth) also made ground on the rankings for T20I batters, while Bangladesh's biggest mover is Mahedi Hasan as he gained 18 places to improve to 23rd for T20I bowlers.
Meanwhile, a West Indies spinner has become the new No.1 ranked T20I bowler for the first time as the race to be the premier Test batter took yet another twist on rankings.
Left-armer Akeal Hosein climbs to the top of the tree for T20I bowlers on the back of his two-wicket haul for the West Indies in the opening match of their ongoing series against Bangladesh, with his spell of 2/13 helping the spinner improve three places to take the No.1 spot.
England veteran Joe Root regains his place as the No.1 ranked Test batter following scores of 32 and 54 during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, while teammate Harry Brook moves back to second after a pair of failures in the same contest following his brief one-week sojourn at the top.
But the big mover is New Zealand star and former No.1 ranked Test batter Kane Williamson, who moves within 28 rating points of Root at the top following his 33rd Test century for his country against England in a commanding victory for the Black Caps at Basin Reserve.
Williamson improves to 867 rating points on the back of his brilliant knock of 156 in the second innings in Hamilton, with Root (895 points) and Brook (876) within touch in a tight battle for the premier position for Test batters.
