Milestone alert! Hardik Pandya becomes 1st Indian to clinch top spot in ICC T20I all-rounders' rankings

Hardik Pandya climbed two places to secure the number one spot in the ICC's T20I all-rounders' rankings on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian to achieve this milestone.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Jul 3, 2024, 4:08 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 3, 2024, 4:08 PM IST

Hardik Pandya climbed two places to secure the number one spot in the ICC's T20I all-rounders' rankings on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian to achieve this milestone. This rise follows India's victorious campaign in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.

In the final against South Africa, Pandya played a crucial role by dismissing Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, ending with figures of 3/20. His performance not only helped India clinch their second T20 World Cup title but also elevated him to share the top spot with Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga in the rankings.

Despite a challenging IPL season where he faced criticism as Mumbai Indians' captain, Pandya turned his form around during the T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean. He contributed significantly with both bat and ball, scoring 144 runs at a strike rate exceeding 150 and claiming 11 wickets throughout the tournament.

Pandya's standout moment came in the final match, where he orchestrated a critical collapse of the South African batting lineup just as they seemed poised for victory. His early dismissal of Klaasen in the 17th over and his composed bowling in the final over, defending 16 runs, sealed India's victory by seven runs.

Pandya's stellar performance not only solidified his position at the top of the ICC rankings but also underscored his value as a match-winner under pressure for the Indian team.

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, India's standout fast bowler in the T20 World Cup, received the Player of the Tournament award for his impressive haul of 15 wickets. His stellar performance catapulted him 12 places up the ICC T20I bowling rankings, now sitting at 12th, marking his highest position since late 2020.

In other movements within the rankings, Marcus Stoinis, Sikandar Raza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Liam Livingstone each climbed one spot in the top 10 of the T20I all-rounders' rankings. Meanwhile, Mohammad Nabi slipped down four places, moving out of the top five.

In the T20I bowling rankings, South Africa's Anrich Nortje made a significant leap of seven places, reaching a career-best second position just behind the top-ranked Adil Rashid with 675 rating points.

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