Pakistan’s young star Saim Ayub has reached the biggest milestone of his international career, climbing to the top of the ICC T20I all-rounders’ rankings. At just 23, Ayub has already established himself as one of the most versatile cricketers in Pakistan’s T20 setup. Despite enduring a lean run with the bat in recent matches, his wicket-taking ability with the ball proved decisive. His eight wickets in seven games at the recently concluded ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025, coupled with an economy rate of just 6.40, were enough to propel him to the summit of the rankings, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya. Afghanistan’s veteran Mohammad Nabi continues to hold third place in the standings.
For Pakistan, Ayub’s rise is both symbolic and significant. In a period of transition for the national side, where several senior players have faded from the T20I picture, the emergence of new names has carried the team forward. Among the all-rounders, Mohammad Nawaz also made upward progress, climbing to 13th, while Faheem Ashraf moved up to 35th. Shaheen Afridi, whose fast-bowling heroics are already well documented, added another dimension to his game and surged 15 spots to reach 56th place. Not all news was positive, however, as stalwarts such as Shadab Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Abbas Afridi and Iftikhar Ahmed all slipped down the ladder.
The batting charts painted a similar picture of change. Sahibzada Farhan, who has been in scintillating form throughout 2025, broke into the world’s top 15 by rising to 13th position with 658 points. His consistent scoring, particularly in pressure matches of the Asia Cup, has cemented his place at the top of Pakistan’s order. Behind him, Fakhar Zaman climbed to 60th, while skipper Salman Ali Agha also nudged upwards to 62nd. Mohammad Haris, who continues to build his reputation as an explosive wicketkeeper-batter, jumped to 79th after notable contributions. Yet, the country’s most senior pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, both sidelined from T20I duty since 2024, slipped further down the rankings, with Babar falling to 37th and Rizwan to 41st. At the global level, India’s Abhishek Sharma retained his position as the top-ranked T20I batter, followed by England’s Phil Salt and India’s Tilak Varma.
On the bowling front, Pakistan found reasons to celebrate and worry in equal measure. Shaheen Afridi’s rise into the top 15 underlined his importance as a spearhead, climbing 12 spots to sit level with India’s Axar Patel at 13th. Mohammad Nawaz continued his steady progress, while Saim Ayub’s surprise leap of 51 places to 58th reflected his growing reputation as a genuine all-round threat. Faheem Ashraf also surged into the top 100 bowlers. On the other hand, Abrar Ahmed, who had once broken into the top five, slipped to seventh, while Sufiyan Muqeem dropped to 17th. Haris Rauf and Abbas Afridi also fell further down the charts. India’s Varun Chakaravarthy remains the world’s leading T20I bowler, with New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Australia’s Adam Zampa close behind.
For Pakistan, the story of these rankings is one of generational shift. As names like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan recede from the T20 landscape, the emergence of players such as Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan signals the arrival of a new era. Ayub’s crowning moment as the world’s top-ranked T20I all-rounder has brought fresh energy to the side, proving that the Green Shirts’ future is not just secure but brimming with promise.
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