Following Pakistan’s successful T20I series against Australia, the latest ICC rankings have brought significant cheer to the national team, particularly in the all-rounder and bowling categories. Released on Wednesday, the updated rankings highlight notable individual performances and reflect the team’s growing momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Among bowlers, Abrar Ahmed has made a remarkable leap, claiming six wickets in the series and rising to second place in the ICC T20I bowler rankings. His current rating of 748 points marks a personal career-high in the format. The only player ahead of him is India’s Varun Chakravarthy.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has received another boost in the all-rounder rankings. Shaim Ayub has regained the top spot, narrowly surpassing Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza by a single point. In addition, Mohammad Nawaz has climbed to seventh place, further strengthening Pakistan’s presence in the all-rounder category.
Although Pakistan’s pacers struggled against Australia, their leading fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has re-entered the top 20, currently positioned at 19th.
In contrast, the batting unit still seeks improvement. Despite commendable individual performances against Australia, neither Shaim Ayub nor Salman Ali Agha have secured a place among the top 20 T20I batsmen. Sahibzada Farhan remains Pakistan’s highest-ranked batsman, positioned seventh, even though he faced challenges in scoring during the Australian series. The batting rankings continue to be led by India’s Abhishek Sharma.
Current ICC T20I Rankings Highlights (Pakistan Players)
| Category | Player | Position | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Rounder | Shaim Ayub | 1 | — | Regained top spot, surpassing Sikandar Raza by 1 point |
| All-Rounder | Mohammad Nawaz | 7 | — | Climbed into top 10 |
| Bowler | Abrar Ahmed | 2 | 748 | Career-high rating; 6 wickets vs Australia |
| Bowler | Shaheen Shah Afridi | 19 | — | Re-entered top 20 |
| Batsman | Sahibzada Farhan | 7 | — | Struggled in recent series |
| Batsman | Shaim Ayub | — | — | Not in top 20 |
| Batsman | Salman Ali Agha | — | — | Not in top 20 |
At the team level, India remains ahead with a rating of 273 points, while Pakistan sits at 238 points in the ICC T20I team rankings.
The T20 World Cup is set to begin on 7 February 2026, with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match originally scheduled for 15 February. However, following directives from the Pakistani government, the match will no longer take place, leaving fans awaiting potential rescheduling.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Pakistan will be hoping that their bolstered all-rounder and bowling performances can translate into a strong campaign, while addressing the pressing need for batting consistency.