Saim Ayub has taken a massive leap in the ICC T20I rankings following a standout performance in Pakistan’s recent T20I series win against the West Indies — a move that could signal a new era for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket.
The 22-year-old left-hander was Pakistan’s top performer in the series, scoring 130 runs across three matches, including two half-centuries that laid the foundation for crucial wins. As a result, Ayub has jumped 25 spots in the latest ICC T20I batting rankings to secure the 37th position with 559 rating points — the biggest climb of his young career so far.
But that’s not all. Ayub’s handy bowling contributions — often overlooked — earned him a jaw-dropping 70-place surge in the ICC T20I all-rounders rankings. He now sits at 24th with 119 rating points, showing selectors and fans alike that he’s more than just a top-order batter.
🔥 Rising Stars and Slipping Veterans
Ayub wasn’t the only one to turn heads. Sufiyan Muqeem, the left-arm spinner, also had a breakout series and surged 69 places to land at 34th among T20I bowlers — notching up 542 points.
Young gun Hassan Nawaz rose 24 places to rank 30th in the batting charts (569 points), while Sahibzada Farhan climbed 34 spots to reach 63rd.
Meanwhile, some seasoned names saw a dip. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who didn’t feature in the series, both slipped three positions to rank 17th and 19th, respectively. Their absence from the series cost them valuable ranking points, as up-and-comers grabbed the spotlight.
In the all-rounder category, Shadab Khan dropped to 19th, while Mohammad Nawaz inched up to 36th — highlighting the shifting landscape in Pakistan’s T20 squad dynamics.
🏏 What This Means for Pakistan Cricket
With the ICC T20 World Cup on the horizon, this surge of youthful talent couldn’t have come at a better time. Ayub’s form adds a new dimension to Pakistan’s top order, potentially allowing more flexibility in the middle overs — an area where the team has often struggled.
The performance of newcomers like Muqeem and Nawaz is also a welcome sign as selectors look to build bench strength and develop match-winners beyond the core group of Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen.
If this series was a litmus test, then Saim Ayub just passed with flying colors.
