DUBAI—Pakistan’s Saim Ayub has achieved a major career milestone by climbing to the number one position in the ICC T20 International all-rounder rankings. The 22-year-old opening batter leapfrogged India’s Hardik Pandya to claim the top spot, primarily due to his recent bowling performance.
All-Rounder Rankings
Despite a recent dip in batting form, Ayub’s bowling efforts—which included claiming eight wickets in seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.40 in the recently concluded ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025—were instrumental in his rise.
Notable drops included Shadab Khan (down 1 place to 36th) and Iftikhar Ahmed (down 2 spots to 92nd).
Batters’ Rankings
Pakistan saw several batters make significant gains, reflecting strong performances in the Asia Cup, but the veteran pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan continued to fall as they remain out of Pakistan’s T20I plans since 2024.
- Sahibzada Farhan was the biggest mover, jumping 11 places to 13th with 658 points.
- Fakhar Zaman climbed 6 places to 60th, and skipper Salman Ali Agha moved up 2 spots to 62nd.
- Mohammad Haris rose 11 places to 79th.
- Babar Azam dropped 2 places to 37th, and Mohammad Rizwan slipped 3 places to 41st.
India’s Abhishek Sharma maintains the No.1 T20I batter ranking.
Bowlers’ Rankings
Pakistani bowlers also made considerable progress:
- Shaheen Afridi climbed 12 spots to 13th place, equalling India’s Axar Patel.
- Saim Ayub made a remarkable jump of 51 spots to 58th, highlighting his versatility.
- Mohammad Nawaz moved up 5 places to 41st.
- Faheem Ashraf surged 26 places to 93rd.
However, Pakistan’s spinners saw a setback, with Abrar Ahmed slipping 3 places to 7th, and Sufiyan Muqeem also dropping 3 spots to 17th. India’s Varun Chakaravarthy remains the No. 1 T20I bowler.
