ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Saim Ayub has made a remarkable rise in the ICC T20 International rankings, dethroning India’s Hardik Pandya to become the top-ranked T20I all-rounder. The 22-year-old opening batter, who has gained recognition for his versatility, now holds the coveted number one spot, thanks in part to his exceptional performance with the ball.
Ayub, who recently experienced a dip in his batting form, has showcased impressive skills with the ball, which propelled him to the top of the all-rounder rankings. He has overtaken Pandya, who now sits in second place, while Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi retained third position with 231 rating points.
Pakistan’s strong presence in the rankings continued with Mohammad Nawaz, who jumped four spots to 13th, earning 166 points. Faheem Ashraf also made a notable rise, moving up four places to 35th with 100 points. Meanwhile, pace-bowling all-rounder Shaheen Afridi saw significant progress, climbing 15 spots to 56th.
However, not all movement was upward for Pakistan. Shadab Khan slipped one place to 36th, and captain Salman Agha fell to 72nd. Abbas Afridi also dropped three places to 79th, while Iftikhar Ahmed moved down two spots to 92nd.
This achievement is a significant milestone in Ayub’s career, solidifying his position as one of Pakistan’s key all-rounders in the T20 format. His recent performance in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 saw him claim eight wickets in seven matches, with an impressive economy rate of 6.40.
In the ICC T20I batters’ rankings, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan made a notable leap, jumping 11 spots to 13th place with 658 points after his stellar performance in the Asia Cup. Fakhar Zaman also climbed six places to reach 60th, while Mohammad Haris surged 11 places to 79th with 431 points.
On the downside, Pakistan’s star duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who have not been part of Pakistan’s T20I plans since 2024, saw a dip in the rankings. Babar dropped two spots to 37th, while Rizwan slipped three places to 41st. Ayub and Hasan Nawaz also lost ground, both falling three places to 57th and 61st, respectively.
In the T20I bowlers’ rankings, Shaheen Afridi continued to make strides, climbing 12 spots to reach 13th, equaling India’s Axar Patel with 635 points. Mohammad Nawaz also moved up five places to 41st, while Saim Ayub made a remarkable jump of 51 spots to 58th with 482 points. Faheem Ashraf surged 26 places to 93rd with 418 points.
However, the rankings were not without setbacks. Spinner Abrar Ahmed slipped three places to 7th, and Sufiyan Muqeem dropped three spots to 17th with 624 points. Pacer Haris Rauf also fell five places to 33rd with 548 points, and Abbas Afridi dropped six spots to 50th.
At the top of the bowlers’ rankings, India’s Varun Chakravarthy maintained his position as the number one T20I bowler, followed by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy in second and Australia’s Adam Zampa in third.
Saim Ayub’s rise to the top spot is a testament to his all-round abilities, further solidifying his place as a key figure in Pakistan’s cricketing future.
