Pakistan’s comeback win over South Africa not only helped them preserve their 100% home record against the Proteas but also propelled several players up the latest ICC T20I rankings.
Several of Pakistan’s top T20 players have made major jumps in the ICC Men’s T20 Player Rankings, giving the team a timely boost ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
The Green Shirts have been on a roll this year, winning four out of their last five bilateral T20I series, including an impressive 2-1 victory over South Africa at home recently. That consistency is finally translating into global recognition, with multiple names making noticeable gains across the board.
Babar Azam has surged nine places to 30th after becoming the leading run-scorer in T20I history, while Saim Ayub jumps ten spots to 39th—both rewarded for their steady contributions at the top of the order. Salman Agha also climbs ten places to 54th, thanks to his explosive late-order hitting against the Proteas.
Sahibzada Farhan remains the highest-ranked Pakistani batter at 11th. Fakhar Zaman (63), Hasan Nawaz (69), and Mohammad Haris (82) have slipped down the rankings, either due to poor form or after sitting out the series against South Africa.
Latest ICC Men’s T20I Batters Rankings:
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Ranking Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abhishek Sharma | India | 925 |
| 2 | Phil Salt | England | 849 |
| 3 | Tilak Varma | India | 788 |
| 4 | Pathum Nissanka | Sri Lanka | 779 |
| 5 | Jos Buttler | England | 770 |
On the bowling side, Shaheen Afridi has climbed three spots to 13th, while Mohammad Nawaz has moved up one place to 32nd. Salman Mirza has made a huge leap of 98 places to reach 45th in the world, while Faheem Ashraf has made an equally impressive 50-place jump to 51st.
Abrar Ahmed remains the highest-rated Pakistani bowler in T20I cricket, currently ranked 8th.
ICC Men’s T20I Bowlers Rankings:
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Ranking Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Varun Chakaravarthy | India | 799 |
| 2 | Akeal Hosein | West Indies | 726 |
| 3 | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 701 |
| 4 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | 687 |
| 5 | Adil Rashid | England | 686 |
With the mega event just months away, Pakistan’s upward trend comes at the perfect time. The team has shown willingness to adapt across both white-ball formats, but it’s their T20I exploits that are catching global attention.
For Pakistan, though, this update signals something bigger—form, confidence, and momentum. If the current trajectory holds, the Men in Green could enter the 2026 T20 World Cup as one of the most in-form sides on the circuit.
