Suryakumar Yadav goes past Babar Azam, enters top 3 of ICC T20I batter rankings

Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav continues his rise in the ICC T20I rankings for batters. He has moved to the No. 3 position, going past Pakistan captain Babar Azam.

The 32-year-old scored a breezy 46 off 25 balls against Australia in Mohali on Tuesday, September 20, in the first T20I of the three-match series. Despite his impressive knock, India went down to the Aussies by four wickets, failing to defend a total of 208.

Suryakumar now has 780 rating points in the latest T20I batter rankings, while Babar has 771. Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan continues to remain at the top of the T20I batter rankings, followed by South Africa’s Aiden Markram.

Rizwan, who scored a half-century in Pakistan's loss to England in Karachi in the opening T20I on Tuesday, now has 825 rating points, while Markram is on 792.

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar’s fall in the rankings reflects his poor recent form in the T20 format. After a disappointing Asia Cup campaign, he was out for 31 in the T20I against England on Tuesday.

England's Dawid Malan (725) and Australia captain Aaron Finch (715) complete the top six in the ICC T20I batter rankings.

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Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel also gain in ICC rankings

Despite the loss to Australia in Mohali, there were significant gains for other Indian players as well in the updated ICC player rankings. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who smashed 71* off 30 balls, climbed 22 places to 65th in the batter rankings.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who registered impressive figures of three for 17, jumped 24 places to 33rd in the T20I bowler rankings.

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood (785) continues to remain at the top of the rankings among bowlers. In the first T20I against India, he impressed by claiming the big wickets of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.

South African left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (716) and England leg-spinner Adil Rashid (709) complete the top three in the T20I ranking for bowlers.

Among Pakistan bowlers, pacer Haris Rauf moved up four places to 21st after registering economical figures of one for 23 in the Karachi T20I. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz has also shifted three places and is in the 31st position.