Pakistan’s veterans out, newcomers climb in latest ICC rankings

WEB DESK: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest player rankings for the T20 and ODI formats, and it’s a mixed bag for Pakistan’s cricket fraternity. While some familiar names have slipped down the charts, a few rising stars are starting to make their mark.

T20 RANKINGS

For the first time in recent memory, Pakistan has no representation in the top 20 T20I batting or bowling rankings. Former skipper Babar Azam, long a fixture in the upper tier, has dropped three places to 21st. Mohammad Rizwan, another mainstay of Pakistan’s white-ball setup, slipped two spots to 22nd.

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Young gun Hassan Nawaz, however, continues to impress. The 22-year-old batsman moved up two places to 31st and is showing signs of breaking into the elite group soon.

In the bowling department, there’s a similar story: no Pakistani bowler in the top 20. But there is movement just outside the elite bracket:

• Sufyan Muqeem climbed 11 spots to 21st after a string of promising performances.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi rose eight places to 26th.
• Haris Rauf, known for his pace and aggression, edged up four spots to 28th.

ODI RANKINGS

In the 50-over format, Babar Azam holds ground on to the No. 3 spot in the ODI batting rankings. However, his long-time partner Mohammad Rizwan wasn’t as fortunate, slipping to 26th despite a one-place gain earlier in the week. Fakhar Zaman saw a minor bump, moving up to 27th.

ALL-ROUNDERS: RAZA TAKES THE THRONE

The biggest headline in the all-rounders’ category comes from across the border. Sikandar Raza, the Pakistani-born Zimbabwean cricketer, has reached the No. 1 spot in the ODI all-rounder rankings, a testament to his consistent match-winning displays.

Back home, Salman Ali Agha dropped one place to 21st, leaving Pakistan still in search of a dominant all-round force in the format.

Also read: Rashid Khan cruises past Tim Southee to become highest T20 wicket-taker

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR PAKISTAN

With none of the national stars currently ranked among the T20I top 20 in either batting or bowling, and only Babar holding a top-tier ODI ranking, the pressure is mounting on Pakistan to retool and refocus ahead of upcoming international fixtures. The rise of young players like Hassan Nawaz and Sufyan Muqeem offers hope, but the drop in form of experienced campaigners is a concern.