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

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): 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)