Indian T20 cricket team captain Shreyas Iyer has reaped massive rewards in the latest International Cricket Council rankings following his masterclass with the bat against the West Indies. After smashing a sensational hundred on Tuesday, Iyer climbed an impressive 18 places in the updated ICC Men's T20I batting rankings released on Wednesday, catapulting directly into the global top ten.
Ishan Kishan Holds Top Spot As Abhishek Sharma Stays Second
The fresh ICC T20I rankings released amid the ongoing bilateral series between India and the West Indies showcase continued Indian dominance at the summit. Wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan firmly holds onto the number one ranking in the world with a rating of 902 points. While Kishan had previously attained a peak of 916 points before experiencing a slight dip, his pole position remains entirely unthreatened at the moment.
India opener Abhishek Sharma occupies the second spot in the global standings with a solid rating of 887 points. The substantial gap between Kishan and Sharma ensures that India's commanding lock on the top two positions will not be broken quickly by chasing competitors.
18-Place Leap Propels Shreyas Iyer To Career-Best Seventh Position
The standout gainer of the latest update is Shreyas Iyer, who registered a match-winning display in the opening T20 encounter against the West Indies. Leading from the front, Iyer hammered an unbeaten 102 runs from just 43 deliveries, decorating his innings with 10 boundaries and 6 sixes. The blistering knock marked Iyer's maiden century in T20 international cricket, arriving in merely his second innings since taking charge as captain.
That innings powered Iyer up by 18 places to seventh position in the world rankings with a rating of 786 points. This marks a new all-time career high for the Indian skipper, eclipsing his previous high-water mark of 630 points by a wide margin.
Eyes On Top Five Entry Across Remaining Fixtures
Prior to this week's rankings adjustment, Iyer occupied the 25th position with 611 rating points. With four fixtures still remaining in the ongoing five-match T20 series against the West Indies, the Indian captain has an immediate opportunity to push even higher. Sustained run-scoring form in the upcoming games could see him breach the elite top five in short order.
In other movements from the same encounter, West Indies captain Shai Hope also registered slight progress in the batting chart. Hope gained one place following his efforts, moving up to the 13th spot.
