New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Abhishek Sharma’s position as the top T20I batter has weakened as Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan advanced in the latest ICC Men’s T20I Player rankings, inching closer to the top spot. However, Ishan Kishan has jumped another spot to rise to fourth place.

Farhan made history as the first player to score two centuries in a single ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, achieving a superb hundred against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. This performance helped him climb one spot in the T20I batting rankings to second position, reaching a new career-high rating in the latest update.

Abhishek now leads Farhan by 26 points at the top of the batter rankings. The Pakistan opener moved ahead of England’s Phil Salt and narrowed the gap with his Indian counterpart after scoring a total of 383 runs at the T20 World Cup.

The latest rankings show significant changes after the Super Eights stage of the T20 World Cup. India’s Ishan Kishan moved up to fourth, and Tilak Varma rose to sixth among T20I batters. Additionally, South Africa’s Dewald Brevis gained one spot, now ranked eighth.

Zimbabwe’s star performer Brian Bennett climbs six spots to 11th overall, tallying 292 runs in the tournament. Meanwhile, South Africans Ryan Rickelton advances two places to 13th, and Aiden Markram moves up four spots to 16th, as both continue to improve their standings.

It’s a similar story at the top of the T20I bowler rankings, with India spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s lead now reduced to just 18 rating points as the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup approach.

Chakravarthy has taken 12 wickets so far in the tournament and maintains a narrow lead at the top of the rankings. Meanwhile, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed moves up two spots to third overall, closing the gap.

India celebrates progress with Jasprit Bumrah moving up one spot to seventh and Arshdeep Singh climbing six places to 13th. England’s Liam Dawson advances nine positions to tie for 14th, while South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi improves six spots to reach 20th.

Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza continues to lead the T20I all-rounders rankings, with Indian star Hardik Pandya now his nearest rival after moving up one position to surpass Pakistan’s Saim Ayub and secure second place.

Another significant rise among T20I all-rounders was Jason Holder, the West Indies veteran, who climbed eight spots to reach 11th after a strong T20 World Cup with both bat and ball.

–IANS

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