Dubai, Indian cricketer Axar Patel has risen to a career-best fifth position among bowlers in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings. His impressive performance against Afghanistan in the T20I series has also boosted his position among all-rounders, showcasing India’s strength in the format.

According to International Cricket Council, Patel’s achievements in the recent series against Afghanistan, including two hauls of two wickets each in the first two T20Is, have propelled him 12 places up the bowlers’ rankings and two places up among all-rounders.

Opener Yashaswi Jaiswal and left-hander Shivam Dube from India have also made significant strides in the rankings. Jaiswal’s 34-ball 68 in the first T20I lifted him seven places to a career-best sixth among batters, while Dube’s consecutive unbeaten knocks of 60 and 63 have catapulted him from 265th to 58th position.

New Zealand’s Finn Allen and Tim Southee have also made notable gains, with Allen jumping 11 places to 16th among batters and Southee climbing eight places to 18th in the bowlers’ list. This follows their pivotal roles in New Zealand’s first two matches against Pakistan.

Indian players Shubman Gill, Tilak Verma, and Arshdeep Singh, along with Afghanistan’s Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, have moved up in the batting and bowling rankings, respectively.

Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman have advanced in the batting rankings, with Azam rising to fourth and Zaman climbing 14 places to 81st. New Zealand’s Daryll Mitchell and Kane Williamson have also ascended in the rankings.

In the bowling category, Sri Lanka spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana have taken joint-third position. Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and New Zealand’s Adam Milne have also made significant progress, with Rauf moving to joint-14th and Milne advancing from 66th to joint-47th position.

This week’s rankings reflect dynamic changes and highlight the competitive nature of international T20 cricket, showcasing emerging talents and seasoned players alike.