The 2025 Asia Cup may not have been the best showcase of Saim Ayub’s batting talents, but the youngster’s bowling prowess throughout the tournament has helped him officially become the top-ranked all-rounder in T20I cricket, following the latest ICC T20I Rankings update.
After picking up eight wickets and scoring 37 runs, Saim Ayub has now overtaken India’s Hardik Pandya for top honours. While renowned for his aggressive batting, the 23-year-old seems to have developed a knack for bowling, giving Mike Hesson another prototype to build the limited-overs team around.
For Pakistan, a side often criticised for lacking balance, Saim Ayub’s versatility is timely. His ability to fit seamlessly into multiple roles strengthens the squad’s tactical flexibility.
ICC T20I All-Rounders Rankings:
| Rank | Player Name | Points Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Saim Ayub | 241 |
| 02 | Hardik Pandya | 233 |
| 03 | Mohammad Nabi | 231 |
| 04 | Dipendra Singh Airee | 214 |
| 05 | Sikandar Raza | 209 |
Over on the batters’ side, Sahibzada Farhan has reaped the most reward for his brilliant Asia Cup. The opener was Pakistan’s biggest threat with the bat and has been rewarded with an 11-place jump, now sitting 13th in the T20I batters’ rankings. Fakhar Zaman has climbed six places to reach 60th place, while Salman Ali Agha (62) and Mohammad Haris (79) also saw improvements in their rankings.
Hasan Nawaz, however, continues his slide, dropping three places to now sit 61st.
ICC T20I Batters Rankings:
| Rank | Player Name | Points Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Abhishek Sharma | 926 |
| 02 | Phil Salt | 844 |
| 03 | Tilak Varma | 819 |
| 04 | Jos Buttler | 785 |
| 05 | Pathum Nissanka | 779 |
On the bowling front, Abrar Ahmed’s time in the top five is over as he drops three places to sit 7th. Sufiyan Muqeem (17) and Haris Rauf (33) also saw declines, but Shaheen Afridi surged 12 places after a sensational Asia Cup to reach 13th. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub’s bowling leapfrogged him 51 places to now sit 58th, while Faheem Ashraf entered the top 100 at 93, thanks to a 26-place jump.
ICC T20I Bowlers Rankings:
| Rank | Player Name | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Varun Chakaravarthy | 803 |
| 02 | Jacob Duffy | 717 |
| 03 | Adam Zampa | 700 |
| 04 | Akeal Hosein | 699 |
| 05 | Adil Rashid | 689 |
With a packed calendar ahead, including the upcoming T20 World Cup, Saim Ayub’s all-round brilliance could prove decisive if he gets his batting to click. His rise to No.1 is more than just a personal milestone; it signals a new chapter for Pakistan cricket, one where a homegrown all-rounder leads the global rankings.
Saeedpathan