DUBAI: Pakistan’s rising star Saim Ayub has lost his number one position in the latest ICC T20I all-rounder rankings after an underwhelming outing in the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Ayub, who has built his reputation primarily as an explosive opener, struggled to make a significant impact with the bat during the series. The left-hander managed only 30 runs across two innings as the contest ended in a 1-1 draw, with one match abandoned due to persistent rain. His inability to contribute with the ball further affected his ranking, as he did not bowl in any of the matches.
As a result, Ayub slipped to second place in the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings with 269 rating points. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza reclaimed the top position, extending his lead with 289 points following consistent performances at the international level.
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The 23-year-old Pakistani cricketer had first reached the summit of the all-rounder rankings on October 1, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya. However, the top spot has changed hands several times since then. Ayub briefly lost the position to Raza in November, regained it soon after, and has now dropped back to second in the latest weekly update released on Wednesday.
Despite the dip in the all-rounder standings, Ayub managed to hold his ground in the ICC T20I batting rankings. He remained unchanged at 37th position with 551 points, reflecting a steady but unspectacular run with the bat in recent matches.
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who did not feature in the Sri Lanka tour, also experienced a slight drop in the batting rankings. He slipped three places to 32nd with 562 points due to inactivity. In contrast, Sahibzada Farhan continued his impressive form, climbing one spot to fifth in the batting charts after scoring 51 and 9 in his two innings during the series.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha made one of the biggest gains among batters. His blistering knock of 45 off just 12 balls in the third T20I, which included five fours and three sixes, propelled him up 13 places to 41st in the rankings.
In the bowling department, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed dropped one position to fifth after picking up three wickets in the opening T20I but failing to add to his tally in the final match. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz slipped two spots to 13th, while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, currently sidelined due to injury, fell five places to 25th.
Saim Ayub also suffered a setback in the bowling rankings, dropping 12 places to 54th. However, there was positive news for Pakistan as Salman Mirza surged 16 spots to 19th after a standout performance of 3 for 18 in the only match he played against Sri Lanka.
The latest rankings highlight the competitive nature of international T20 cricket, where even brief dips in form can lead to significant changes on the global leaderboard.
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