Pakistan’s cricket landscape witnessed a dramatic shift in global rankings this week, with newly appointed T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan vaulting into the world’s second spot for batters while former white-ball captain Babar Azam continues a worrying descent across multiple formats.
Farhan’s ascent to second place in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings marks a stunning validation of his recent elevation to captaincy. The opener now sits at 883 rating points, benefiting partly from Indian batter Ishan Kishan’s two-position drop following underwhelming performances against New Zealand and the West Indies. India’s Abhishek Sharma seized the top ranking after smashing a century in the third T20I against New Zealand.
The rankings update paints a concerning picture for Pakistan’s established stars. Babar Azam, once a fixture in the upper echelons of world cricket, has fallen to 48th in T20I batting rankings and dropped two spots to ninth in ODI standings. His struggles in the ongoing home ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka—managing just 118 runs across four matches—have accelerated his decline.
Other Pakistani batters faced similar turbulence. Opening sensation Saim Ayub slipped to 43rd in T20I batting, while Maaz Sadaqat dropped to 46th. Former captain Fakhar Zaman continues his downward trajectory, now sitting at 79th in T20Is and 46th in ODIs. Mohammad Rizwan, recently dropped from Pakistan’s ODI squad, plummeted eight places to 42nd in that format.
The bowling department offered mixed fortunes. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed maintained joint-third position in T20I bowling alongside England’s Adil Rashid, both holding 695 rating points behind Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and Australia’s Adam Zampa. However, Abrar slipped one spot to third in ODI bowling rankings.
Shaheen Shah Afridi provided a rare bright spot, climbing two positions to sixth in ODI bowling after claiming eight wickets in four tri-series matches. His leadership as ODI captain appears to be translating into improved personal performance. Yet his pace partners struggled—Haris Rauf dropped nine places to 29th, while Naseem Shah fell six spots to 53rd.
The most dramatic turnaround belonged to Shadab Khan, who rocketed 32 places to 92nd in ODI batting after his sensational match-winning century against England. His unbeaten 113 off 96 balls, completed while Pakistan teetered at 154-9 chasing 242, secured a remarkable one-wicket victory and a spot in the tri-series final. The innings also lifted him 17 positions to 50th in the all-rounder rankings.
Saim Ayub retained second place in the T20I all-rounder standings despite his batting and bowling declines, with Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza continuing to lead that category.
The rankings reshuffle arrives at a pivotal moment for Pakistani cricket, with leadership transitions underway and the team seeking consistency ahead of major tournaments. Farhan’s rapid rise offers hope for the future, but the struggles of established stars like Babar raise questions about form, confidence, and the team’s direction in white-ball cricket.
