The return of Pakistan all-rounder Saeem Ayub

Following a successful T20I series against Australia, Pakistan’s cricketers have received a major boost in the latest ICC rankings, released on Wednesday. The updates reflect notable improvements for the team, particularly in the all-rounder and bowling categories.

Among bowlers, Abrar Ahmed has climbed to second place after taking six wickets in the series. His rating now stands at 748 points, marking the highest of his T20I career. Only India’s Varun Chakravarthy ranks above him in the global standings.

In the all-rounder rankings, Pakistan has more reasons to celebrate. Shaheen Ayub has reclaimed the top spot, narrowly surpassing Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza by a single point. Mohammad Nawaz has also made a strong showing, rising to seventh place.

Although Pakistan’s pacers struggled collectively against Australia, their leading fast bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, has returned to the top 20, currently positioned at 19th globally.

However, the batting rankings have yet to show significant improvement for Pakistan. Despite good performances against Australia, Shaheen Ayub and Salman Ali Aga could not break into the top 20 batsmen. Among Pakistan’s batsmen, Sahibzada Farhan remains the highest-ranked, currently at seventh place, despite struggling for runs in the recent series. India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to top the batting charts.

In the team rankings, India maintains a clear advantage. India holds 273 points, while Pakistan follows with 238 points.

The updates come ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on 7 February. According to the tournament schedule, the India–Pakistan match was originally set for 15 February. However, following directives from the government, Pakistan has opted not to participate in the fixture.

The latest ICC rankings snapshot underscores Pakistan’s growing strength in bowling and all-round performance, even as batting remains an area for improvement. With the T20 World Cup approaching, the team will be keen to convert these individual successes into a strong overall showing on the global stage.

ICC T20I Rankings – Pakistan Highlights