After his heroics in the slog overs of T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa, Hardik Pandya has been crowned the no.1 all-rounder in latest ICC T20I rankings. Pandya rose two places to go level with Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga. Both Pandya and Hasaranga have 22 rating points each.
Pandya became India's hero with the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen on the first ball of the 17th over to stage India's comeback. In the last over, he dismissed David Miller and helped India beat South Africa by seven runs to win the T20 World Cup for the second time.
India's vice-captain was named in ICC's T20 World Cup 2024 team of the tournament. He scored 144 runs at a strike rate of 151.57 including an unbetaen half-century against Bangladesh. With the ball, he took 11 wickets and conceded runs at an economy rate of 7.64 runs per over.
Other changes in all-rounder rankings
Along with Pandya, Australia's Marcus Stoinis, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan rose one place each to occupy third, four and fifth place respectively. Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi slipped four places to sixth despite the team's historic qualification for the semifinal.
There were a few other changes in the top 10 as well. England's Liam Livingstone rose one place whereas South Africa captain Aiden Markkram and Moeen Ali slipped to ninth and 10th place respectively.
Another Indian all-rounder to rise in the rankings was Axar Patel. The southpaw made a big leap of seven places to occupy the 12th spot. In the final, he batted at no.5 and contributed with a crucial 47-run knock.
Bumrah, Nortje’s big leap
There were big changes in the ICC T20I bowler rankings as well. South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje jumped seven places to no.2. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan slipped two places whereas Australia's Josh Hazlewood and West Indies' Akeal Hosein were pushed down one place each.
Patel went up in the bowling rankings as well and reached seventh place. While Adam Zampa lost two places to eighth, Kuldeep Yadav levelled with him. Fazalhaq Farooqi who was joint-highest wicket-taker of T20 World Cup but he slipped three places as well to no.10.
India's pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah went up 12 places to 12th position after becoming the 'Player of the tournament’. The other joint-highest wicket-taker Arshdeep rose two places to reach 13th spot.
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