In a remarkable comeback story, the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan He has broken into the ICC men’s T20I batting top 10 for the first time in two years after his player of the match performance in the ongoing match against Pakistan. t20 world cup 2026. In the latest ranking update released on February 18, Kishan jumped an incredible 17 places to be ranked eighth with 732 rating points.
Ishan Kishan’s great rise in T20I rankings
Kishan’s journey back to the upper echelons of the batting charts seems like a fairy tale. Ranked 78th upon his return to the T20I setup earlier this year, the left-hander has enjoyed a dizzying trajectory through the rankings. He reached 32nd position by the time the T20 World Cup started, and moved up to 25th in the first two matches, but his explosive innings against Pakistan took him into the top 10.
The 26-year-old’s resurgence marks his first appearance in the batting top 10 since his early breakout years in international cricket, marking his return to form at the right time for the defending champions.
Kishan’s rise in the rankings was thanks to his breathtaking innings of 77 runs in just 40 balls against arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo on February 15. His explosive innings, which earned him the Player of the Match award, laid the foundation for India’s emphatic 61-run win and helped the team maintain its perfect record in the tournament.
This innings demonstrated Kishan’s development as a batsman, combining fearless strokeplay with a responsible anchor role when the situation demanded. His ability to dominate Pakistan’s quality bowling attack on challenging surfaces has caught the attention of cricket pundits around the world and is now reflected in the updated rankings.
ICC T20I Rankings: Four Indian batsmen in top 10
Kishan’s entry into the elite club means India now have four batsmen in the top 10 ICC T20I rankings, underscoring the team’s exceptional batting depth ahead of the Super 8 stage.
At the top, despite modest returns including two zeroes so far in the World Cup, Abhishek Sharma remains at the No. 1 spot with 891 rating points. England’s Phil Salt is in second place, while Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka has jumped three places to third after his brilliant century against Australia.
India’s Tilak Verma is in fourth place with 751 points, while captain Suryakumar Yadav is in sixth place with 747 points. The quartet of Indian batsmen ranked in the top 10 – Abhishek, Tilak, Suryakumar and now Kishan – will pose a strong challenge to the opponents in the upcoming Super 8 matches against South Africa, Zimbabwe and West Indies.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton moved up 22 places to 11th, while Aiden Markram moved up six places to joint 15th. USA’s Saiteja Mukkamalla has moved up 16 places to 21st and England’s youngster Jacob Bethell has moved up 22 places to 32nd following his impressive contributions.
Tough competition in bowling and all-rounder charts
India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy continues to top the bowling rankings with 796 points, although Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan has moved up one place to second position. Zimbabwe’s Brad Evans took the most significant step forward, jumping 10 places to fifth after taking three consecutive wickets, helping Australia oust them.
At the same time, India’s Akshar Patel moved up four places to 14th position. Jasprit Bumrah Moved up six places to 15th, underscoring the team’s balanced attack in the Super 8s.
The battle for all-rounders remains extremely competitive, with Pakistan’s Saim Ayub pipping Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza to the top spot after taking three wickets against India. India’s Hardik Pandya remains at third position.