Saim Ayub regains top ICC T20I all-rounder ranking

Pakistan opening batsman Saim Ayub has regained the top spot on the ICC Men's T20I All-Rounder Rankings issued on Wednesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Saim Ayub earned his spot in the squad after some outstanding performances in Pakistan’s 3-0 sweep over Australia on home ground.

The 23-year-old has taken over the opening role from Zimbabwe’s experienced Sikandar Raza.

This comes as a positive development for Ayub and Pakistan just days before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup kicks off, with the team aiming to secure their second T20 title, their first since winning the tournament in 2009.

Throughout the series against Australia, Saim Ayub amassed 119 runs and claimed three wickets, contributing significantly to the team's success.

He wasn’t the only Pakistani player to impress in the rankings leading up to the World Cup, set to start on February 7.

Pakistan’s spinner Abrar Ahmed grabbed two spots to become the second-ranked T20I bowler, now only 28 rating points behind India’s Varun Chakravarthy, the current top-ranked bowler. 

This improvement came after Ahmed’s remarkable six-wicket performance over three matches against Australia.

Another Pakistani spinner, Mohammad Nawaz, also saw a significant rise, moving up eight places to the seventh spot on the T20I bowler rankings after his five-wicket haul in the series finale against Australia. 

In addition to his bowling success, Nawaz also climbed one place to fourth in the rankings for T20I all-rounders, and captain Salman Ali Agha achieved 29th position in ICC All Rounders Rankings.

Reporter: Mumtaz Shigri