Saim Ayub has returned to the summit of the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings, edging out Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza in a closely fought contest at the top.

The two players have traded the No.1 position in recent weeks during the build-up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, underlining the intense competition in the shortest format of the game.

Ayub’s rise back to the top comes after a great performance against India in Colombo, where he claimed 3 for 25 with his spin bowling.

Raza slips to second place, while Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee climbs two spots and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai jumps four positions, with both now sharing fourth place following strong recent performances.

Batting rankings see major shifts

Movement was also evident in the T20I batting charts. Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka surged three places to third after scoring a brilliant century against Australia in Kandy.

Despite a slight dip in form, India opener Abhishek Sharma retains his position at the top of the T20I batting rankings. However, the biggest leap came from his teammate Ishan Kishan, who rocketed 17 places to eighth following his explosive 77 off 40 balls against Pakistan, earning Player of the Match honours.

South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton (up 22 places to 11th) and Aiden Markram (up six places to joint 15th) also enjoyed significant gains, alongside USA batter Saiteja Mukkamalla (up 16 spots to 21st) and England youngster Jacob Bethell (up 22 places to 32nd).

Bowlers’ race tightens

The contest for the No.1 T20I bowler ranking has also intensified. Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan climbed one place to second, narrowing the gap with India’s Varun Chakravarthy, who remains at the top.

Zimbabwe fast bowler Brad Evans leapt 10 places to fifth after back-to-back three-wicket hauls at the World Cup.

India’s Axar Patel (up four spots to 14th) and Jasprit Bumrah (up six places to 15th) also made ground, while Ireland spinner Matthew Humphreys enjoyed one of the biggest jumps, climbing 23 places to 23rd overall.

With the T20 World Cup in full swing, the rankings battle across all departments remains wide open as players continue to deliver match-defining performances on cricket’s biggest stage.