Farhan Nears Sharma's Top Spot in Thrilling ICC T20I Rankings Race

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has surged to second place in the ICC Men's T20I batting rankings, narrowing the gap to Indian leader Abhishek Sharma after a stellar World Cup performance. Indian batters Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma have also broken into the top ten following the Super 8 stage. In the bowling rankings, India's Varun Chakravarthy maintains a slim lead at the top, with Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed climbing to third. The all-rounder rankings continue to be led by Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, with India's Hardik Pandya moving up to second.

Key Points: ICC T20I Rankings: Farhan Closes Gap on Leader Abhishek Sharma

  • Farhan rises to 2nd in T20I batting
  • Sharma leads by 26 rating points
  • Kishan & Varma break into top 10
  • Varun Chakravarthy tops bowling rankings
3 min read

Sahibzada Farhan closes in on Abhishek Sharma at the top of ICC Men's T20I batting rankings

Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan rises to 2nd in ICC T20I batting rankings, chasing India's Abhishek Sharma. Latest updates on Kishan, Varma, and bowling leaders.

"Farhan became the first player to register two centuries in a single ICC Men's T20 World Cup - ICC"

New Delhi, March 4

Pakistan opening batter Sahibzada Farhan has closed in on India's star batter Abhishek Sharma's No. 1 position in the ICC Men's T20I batting rankings after the latest updates to the ICC rankings on Wednesday, according to the ICC website.

Farhan became the first player to register two centuries in a single ICC Men's T20 World Cup, reaching the milestone with a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in both teams' last Super 8s match of the World Cup 2026. That performance lifted him one spot to second in the T20I batting rankings, where he also achieved a new career-best rating.

Abhishek Sharma leads the T20I batting rankings by 26 rating points over Sahibzada Farhan, who is second with 848 rating points, after the Pakistan opener surpassed Phil Salt and narrowed the gap to his Indian rival with an impressive tally of 383 runs at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

There has also been significant reshuffling in the rankings following the conclusion of the Super 8-stage. India's Ishan Kishan (fourth with 783 rating points) and Tilak Varma (sixth with 749 rating points) each climbed one position to break into the top 10 T20I batters, while South Africa's Dewald Brevis advanced a spot to secure eighth place.

Zimbabwe's Brian Bennett surged six places to 11th overall after amassing 292 runs at the T20 World Cup. South African pair Ryan Rickelton (up two spots to 13th) and Aiden Markram (up four places to 16th) have also climbed the standings.

Similarly, in the T20I bowling rankings, India spinner Varun Chakravarthy now holds a slender 18-point advantage at the summit as the tournament moves into the knockout phase.

Although Varun Chakravarthy has claimed 12 wickets so far in the tournament and remains narrowly ahead in the T20I bowling rankings, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed is closing in after climbing two spots to third overall.

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah rose one place to seventh, and Arshdeep Singh jumped six positions to 13th. England seamer Liam Dawson moved nine spots to share 14th, while South Africa quick Lungi Ngidi moved up six places to 20th.

In the T20I all-rounder rankings, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza continues to lead the way. India's Hardik Pandya is now his nearest rival after climbing one position to overtake Pakistan's Saim Ayub and secure second spot.

Meanwhile, West Indies veteran Jason Holder was another notable riser among all-rounders, surging eight places to 11th following an impressive T20 World Cup campaign with both bat and ball.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a neutral cricket fan, it's fantastic to see such close competition at the top. Farhan scoring two centuries in a single World Cup is a phenomenal achievement. Makes the rankings race very exciting!
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Vikram M
The bowling rankings are even more thrilling! Varun Chakravarthy leading, but Bumrah and Arshdeep moving up is key for India. Our bowling attack is shaping up nicely for the knockouts. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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Rohit P
Respect where it's due. Sahibzada Farhan played brilliantly. But 26 points is still a decent lead for Abhishek. Hope he scores big in the semis and finals to seal the No. 1 spot. Jai Hind!
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Priya S
So proud of Hardik Pandya moving to No. 2 among all-rounders! He's been crucial for the balance of the team. Also, a bit concerned about Abrar Ahmed closing in on Varun. Our spinners need to be at their best.
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Michael C
Interesting analysis. The rankings really show how the World Cup performance impacts position. Brian Bennett's jump for Zimbabwe and Holder's rise for WI are also great stories for the sport.
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Kavya N

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