South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje and Afghanistan's star pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi have rocketed into the top ten of the ICC T20I bowler rankings after their impressive performances in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Anrich Nortje ripped through the Sri Lankan batting order, claiming a career-best 4 wickets for just 7 runs in South Africa's winning cause.
Anrich Nortje breaks into top 10 in T20I bowlers' rankings
Nortje's pinpoint bowling dismantled Sri Lanka's top order. He dismissed Kamindu Mendis (11), Kusal Mendis (19), Charith Asalanka (6), and the experienced Angelo Mathews (16), leaving them reeling at a meager 77 all out. This dominant display set the stage for a comfortable six-wicket victory for South Africa.
Nortje's fiery spell not only secured the win but also etched his name in history. His figures are now the best ever recorded by a South African bowler at the T20 World Cup, surpassing his own previous best of 4 wickets for 10 runs against Bangladesh in the 2022 edition.
Nortje's heroics weren't just about the win for South Africa. His exceptional bowling propelled him up the ICC T20I bowling rankings by a staggering nine places. He rocketed into the coveted top ten, landing squarely in the eighth spot. Notably, Nortje is now the only fast bowler, besides Australia's Josh Hazlewood at number five, to crack the top ten, which is currently dominated by spinners. Besides Nortje, Afghanistan's star Fazalhaq Farooqi too walked into top 10 of the bowlers rankings in T20Is. Farooqi's back-breaking spell of 5/9 against Uganda which helped Afghanistan win the match by 125 runs, helped him secure 10th place in the standings after rising three places up.
Speaking of spinners, England's Adil Rashid continues to reign supreme at the top of the rankings. India boasts a strong spin presence as well, with Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel holding the third and fourth positions respectively.
Shakib al Hasan becomes no.1 all-rounder again
Meanwhile, there's a shift in the all-rounder rankings. Bangladesh's Shakib al Hasan has wrestled back the top spot from Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. Interestingly, Hasaranga's score of zero against South Africa dropped him a place in the rankings.
All eyes will be on Shakib al Hasan and Wanindu Hasaranga in the upcoming Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka clash on June 8th. Shakib, fresh off reclaiming the all-rounder top spot, will be determined to hold onto it, while Hasaranga will be looking to bounce back and reclaim his lost position after a disappointing duck against South Africa. Meanwhile, the batter's rankings remain unchanged with India's Suryakumar Yadav maintaining his dominance at the top with a commanding 861 rating points. Pakistan continues to showcase strong batting talent with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam holding the second and third spots, respectively. However, there's a question mark surrounding India's opening lineup. Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal sits comfortably at number six in the rankings with 714 points, but his spot in the playing XI might be challenged by the potential return of experienced openers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
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