India’s white-ball players have received a timely boost ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with several stars climbing the latest ICC T20I Player Rankings. Pakistani players also held firm, underlining strong regional competition at the top level.

India opener Abhishek Sharma has strengthened his position as the world’s top-ranked T20I batter.

The left-hander increased his lead to 80 rating points after scoring two half-centuries in the opening matches of the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand, taking his rating to 929 points.

Abhishek’s current rating is just two points short of his career-high 931, achieved during last year’s Asia Cup. England opener Phil Salt remains his closest challenger with 849 points, followed by India’s Tilak Varma in third place with 781 points.

Suryakumar Yadav climbs back into top 10

Former world No 1 batter Suryakumar Yadav made a strong jump, moving up five places to seventh in the rankings.

His rise followed an unbeaten 57-run knock in the third T20I against New Zealand in Guwahati, further boosting India’s confidence just 10 days before the World Cup begins.

Sahibzada Farhan holds fifth spot

Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan continues to hold fifth position in the ICC T20I batting rankings.

His consistent performances have helped him maintain his place among the world’s elite T20 batters despite intense competition.

In the bowling rankings, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed moved up one place to fifth, reflecting his steady rise in T20 cricket. India pacer Jasprit Bumrah climbed four spots to 13th after taking three wickets in the third T20I against New Zealand.

Varun Chakravarthy stays on top

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy retained his position as the No.1 T20I bowler. He claimed three wickets across the first two matches of the New Zealand series, keeping him firmly at the summit of the rankings.

The latest ICC rankings underline India’s strong form heading into their T20 World Cup title defence, while Pakistan’s presence in the top five across batting and bowling highlights their continued competitiveness.

With the World Cup fast approaching, the rankings shifts add extra intrigue to what promises to be a highly competitive tournament.