Shaheen Afridi secures 10th spot in latest ICC T20I player rankings

Dubai: Pakistan's pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has secured the number 10 spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) T20I Player Rankings for his magnificent spell in the one-off T20I in the Pakistan-Australia series in Lahore, reported The News. 

Afridi jumped up to four spots after getting 2/21 in the T20I against Australia. 

Australia's Josh Hazlewood — who did not participate in the game — dropped to number three on the list while England's Adil Rashid took the second spot. South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi remains at the top.

Babar Azam, the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March, continued his stay at the top of the batters’ rankings, though Mohammad Rizwan, the ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Year 2021, dropped a spot to number three. 

Babar scored 66 off 46 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes, while fellow opener Rizwan scored 23 off 19 balls, striking a four and a six. Pakistan lost the match by three wickets.

South Africa’s Aiden Markram is second in the batters’ rankings.

There was some movement in the Test player rankings as well after the conclusion of the series between South Africa and Bangladesh.

Keshav Maharaj, who starred both with the bat and the ball in the final game and took home the Player of the Match and Player of the Series, rose to 21st position in bowlers’ rankings and 13th in all-rounders.

His fellow spinner Simon Harmer climbed 26 spots to number 54 in bowlers rankings. The off-spinner finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the series with 13 wickets, only second to Maharaj (16).