Hardik Pandya's magnificent display in India's title-winning campaign at the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup has helped the all-rounder rise to the top in the latest ICC Men's T20I Rankings update, released on Wednesday. He has moved up two slots and now shares the top spot with Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga at 936 ratings points, which is best ever by an Indian.
Throughout this entire tournament, Pandya made some telling contributions lower down the order and returned with 144 runs at a strike rate of over 150. Of particular note is his unbeaten 27-ball fifty against Bangladesh in Antigua, which is an indicator of his explosive batting skills. He was also very instrumental with the ball, picking up 11 important wickets. His two great performances in the final—in which he knocked over Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, and then defended 16 runs through a nervy last over—were enough to help India win their second T20 World Cup title.
Jasprit Bumrah, the pace spearhead, rocketed up 12 places to 12th in the rankings after his fine show that fetched him the Player of the Tournament award with 15 wickets. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav too moved up three places to joint-eighth in bowling rankings. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh reached a career-best ranking of 13th after finishing the tournament as the highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps.
Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi climbed five places to the top 15 bowlers, while pacer Anrich Nortje rose seven places to a career-best second place, only behind Adil Rashid who is at the top with 675 rating points.
Other movements inside the top 10 of the men's T20I all-rounder rankings see Marcus Stoinis, Sikandar Raza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Liam Livingstone all move up one place, with Mohammad Nabi falling four spots and out of the top five.
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