(ICC) New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum and Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal have taken over as the leading batsman and bowler in the latest Reliance ICC Twenty20 Player Rankings.
The latest Reliance ICC Player Rankings that were released yesterday incorporate the Pakistan-Australia, India-New Zealand and England-South Africa Twenty20 series that were forerunners to the ICC World Twenty20 2012, which begins on 18 September when host Sri Lanka takes on Zimbabwe in Hambantota.
McCullum’s 55-ball 91 against India in Chennai helped move him to the top of the rankings table, while David Warner’s 59 for Australia against Pakistan in the third and final match at Dubai, which included six sixes, has seen him leap six places up the rankings to fourth.
Yuvraj Singh re-entered the rankings after his comeback to action following his battle against cancer. He comes into the rankings in the 15th spot and marked his return with 34 against New Zealand in Chennai.
The batsman losing the most ground was England’s Eoin Morgan who has fallen from the number one spot to ninth, losing eight places.
Last week, Saeed Ajmal became the number one ranked bowler in Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, and his six wickets in the three-match series against Australia in Dubai has helped him to take the number one spot in the world in Twenty20 cricket – overtaking England’s Graeme Swann, who picked up three wickets in the three-match series against South Africa.
Ajmal’s overall rating of 782 points is also a career best.
Meanwhile, Shane Watson moved up eight places to seventh in the bowler’s table with his highest ever rating of 650. Watson also holds the number-one rank in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for all-rounders with his highest-ever rating of 475, achieved in the series against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Umar Gul has moved back into the top 20 in the bowlers’ table with a four place rise to sit in 18th position.
Meanwhile, England heads into the ICC World Twenty20 2012 as the number-one ranked team on the Reliance ICC T20 Championship table. England leveled the three-match series against South Africa 1-1 with a win in the third and final match to reclaim the number one spot. South Africa, now second, however trails England by just one ratings point.
Pakistan’s 2-1 series win over Australia has ensured that it retains its pre-series position of sixth, while George Bailey’s team continues to be ninth in the rankings.
India has slipped to seventh from fourth position after its loss to New Zealand in the only game possible in the two-match series, while Ross Taylor’s side is now ranked fifth.
Reliance ICC T20 Championship (before the Australia-Pakistan, England-South Africa and India-New Zealand series)
Afghanistan, with a rating of 92; the Netherlands, 73; Scotland, 67; Canada, 11 and Kenya, 2 have not been ranked as they played fewer than eight T20I matches played since August 2010.
Reliance ICC T20 Rankings (as on 13 September, after England-South Africa, India-New Zealand and Pakistan-Australia series)
Rank Team Rating
1 England 130
2 South Africa 129
3 Sri Lanka 119
4 West Indies 111
5 New Zealand 109
6 Pakistan 108
7 India 101
8 Bangladesh 95
9 Australia 94
10 Ireland 88
11 Zimbabwe 47
Teams not been ranked as they played fewer than eight T20I matches played since August 2010.
Afghanistan 92
the Netherlands 73
Scotland 67
Canada 11
Kenya 2
