ISLAMABAD: Pakistan received a morale boost ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as several of their white-ball stars made gains in the latest ICC player rankings.
According to the ICC latest rankings, Pakistan have enjoyed a strong run in 2025, winning four of their five bilateral T20I series, including a 2-1 home triumph against South Africa. Their consistent performances have been rewarded with notable improvements in the global standings.
Babar Azam, who returned to the T20 side for home series against Proteas, climbed nine places to joint 30th in the T20 batting rankings, while Saim Ayub rose 10 spots to 39th and Salman Ali Agha jumped 10 places to 54th. India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to lead the T20 batting charts.
In the bowling category, India’s Varun Chakravarthy retained the top position. Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed remained steady at eighth, while Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up three spots to 13th.
The ODI rankings saw India maintain their dominance, holding the No. 1 team position. Australia stayed second, England third, and Pakistan slipped to seventh. Among batters, Rohit Sharma retained his top spot, followed by New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, who moved up three places to third. Pakistan’s Babar Azam dropped one place to fifth, while Salman Ali Agha rose nine places to 31st.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan remains the top-ranked bowler in ODIs, while Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi fell one spot to 15th.
The latest ICC update highlights shifting momentum in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, with several Pakistani players showing strong form at a crucial stage.
Yesterday, Pakistan beat South Africa in thriller by two wickets in the opening match of the ODIs at Faisalabad.
The hosts chased the target of 264 runs in 49.4 overs with two wickets in hands.
The openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman set 87 runs- stand before Saim Ayub was dismissed on well-made 39 runs.
