The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest T20I rankings, showing major shifts for Pakistani cricketers. Young batters Saim Ayub and Hassan Nawaz have made significant strides, while veteran players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan saw declines in their positions.
Left-handed opener Saim Ayub rose dramatically from 63rd to 38th position in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings. Similarly, Hassan Nawaz climbed from 54th to 30th. In contrast, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan each fell three places, now standing at 17th and 19th, respectively.
India’s Abhishek Sharma maintained his top spot in the batting rankings.
On the bowling front, no Pakistani player managed to break into the top 10. Abbas Afridi dropped three places to 28th, while Haris Rauf held his position at 26th. A notable rise came from left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, who jumped from 69th to 35th, reflecting strong recent performances.
Read More: ICC Introduces Major Rule Changes Across All Formats
Pakistan vs West Indies ODI Series Begins August 8
In related news, West Indies have announced their squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Pakistan, starting August 8, followed by matches on August 10 and August 12.
The Caribbean side, led by Shai Hope, will be without their frontline pacer Alzarri Joseph, who continues to rest under a workload management plan. All-rounder Romario Shepherd, returning to ODIs after a gap since December 2024, has been named in the squad.
West Indies ODI Squad:
Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jayden Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Alick Athanaze, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd.
Pakistan’s ODI squad, featuring senior names like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Hasan Nawaz, has already arrived in the West Indies for the series. The matches hold critical importance for West Indies, ranked 10th in the ICC ODI standings, especially after a disappointing 0-3 series loss to England.
