The battle to be the No.1 ranked T20I batter in the world has further intensified after India star Suryakumar Yadav edged even closer to Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan on the latest MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Player Rankings.
Yadav continued his stunning rise in 2022 by finishing India’s recent T20I series at home against South Africa with two half centuries and as their leading run scorer with a total of 119 runs.
That form saw Yadav close to within 16 rating points of Rizwan on the updated T20I batter rankings that were released by the ICC on Wednesday and the 32-year-old should get the chance to claim top billing during the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia
Rizwan finished the recent seven-match T20I series against England as the leading run scorer with an impressive haul of 316 runs, but the fact the veteran was rested for the sixth game of the series and managed just one in the series decider in Lahore meant the right-hander lost valuable breathing space at the top of the rankings.
The race for the top spot is so tight that Yadav could have even overtaken his Pakistan counterpart with a big score in the final match of India’s series against South Africa in Indore, but the right-hander was out for just eight.
It means the battle between the two will continue over the next month when both Pakistan and India are among the favourites to win the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Spin duo Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa and England’s Adil Rashid each drop three spots inside the top 10, with Afghanistan ace Rashid Khan (second), Sri Lanka star Wanindu Hasaranga (third) and Australia veteran Adam Zampa (fourth) all jumping two places each as a result.
