Pakistan’s rising T20 match-winner Saim Ayub has climbed back to the No. 1 position among all-rounders in the latest ICC T20I Player Rankings.
Saim Ayub’s jump to the top comes on the back of Pakistan’s 3-0 home whitewash of Australia at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, where he delivered with both bat and ball.
The left-hander was Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer in the series with 119 runs, including a half-century, finishing just one run behind captain Salman Ali Agha. He also chipped in with three key wickets, including removing Australia’s aggressor Travis Head twice.
With Pakistan heading into a major tournament, Ayub’s all-round impact gives them a valuable option up top, someone who can score quickly in the Powerplay and still contribute overs when required.
| Pos | Team | Player | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PAK | Saim Ayub | 290 |
| 2 | ZIM | Sikandar Raza | 289 |
| 3 | IND | Hardik Pandya | 247 |
| 4 | PAK | Mohammad Nawaz | 230 |
| 5 | WI | Roston Chase | 228 |
| 6 | NEP | Dipendra Singh Airee | 202 |
| 7 | AFG | Azmatullah Omarzai | 202 |
| 8 | AFG | Mohammad Nabi | 197 |
| 9 | IND | Shivam Dube | 186 |
| 10 | WI | Romario Shepherd | 185 |
The latest rankings also keeps several familiar names in the mix. Sikandar Raza remains right on Ayub’s heels at No. 2, while Hardik Pandya holds third. Pakistan have another presence in the top four with Mohammad Nawaz who was the leading wicket taker of the Pakistan vs Australia series, which included a match-winning 5-fer.
Ayub’s red-hot form is also turning heads ahead of the first-ever Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) player auction. In a surprise call, Peshawar Zalmi released Saim Ayub, opting to go with Babar Azam instead.
However, as the No. 1 T20 all-rounder in cricket, Saim Ayub is shaping up to be one of the most in-demand names at the auction, with multiple franchises expected to chase him hard.