T20I rankings: Afghan batsman Zazai hammers his way into top-10

Australia batsman Glenn Maxwell and Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai rose in the latest ICC T20I Player Rankings after their superlative batting performances in the series against India and Ireland, respectively.

According to an ICC release, Maxwell’s scores of 56 and 113*, in the two T20Is that helped Australia claim the series 2-0, helped him rise two positions to 3rd in the rankings.

Zazai’s 162 not out, the second highest score in T20Is, in their 3-0 series win against Ireland saw the big-hitting batsman leap 31 places to a career-best seventh in the rankings.

The left-hander slammed 11 fours and 16 sixes during the 62-ball knock and finished with 304 runs in the series.

His team-mates, Mohammad Nabi has gained 12 slots to reach 30th place and Usman Ghani has moved up 25 slots to 79th among batsmen.

Australia’s D’Arcy Short has gained eight slots to go one behind Zazai, while Nathan Coulter-Nile has gained four slots to reach 45th position among bowlers after taking four wickets against India, including a player of the match haul of 3/26 in the first T20I.

KL is the top-ranked Indian after a decent performance in the series, having risen four berths to go to 6th in the rankings.

Former top-ranked Virat Kohli moves up two places to 17th, while former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni moved up seven places to 56th.

Ireland batsman, Kevin O’Brien has gained 10 places to sit at 61st in the rankings.

Among bowlers, India’s Jasprit Bumrah has shot up 12 places to 15th while left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya has jumped 18 places to a career-best 43rd.

Afghanistan’s Mujeeb-ur-Rehman has moved from 42nd to 40th in the bowlers’ list.

In the ICC Men’sT20I Team rankings, Australia’s first series win against India, in over a decade, has seen them leapfrog South Africa and England to go to 3rd.

Despite the series loss to Australia, India are unmoved at 2nd spot.

Afghanistan and Ireland retain eighth and 17th positions, respectively.