Bad news for Team India before T20 World Cup 2026, star player from Pakistan has become…
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is set to get underway on Saturday, February 7. But there is a huge cloud over the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan contest set to take place in Colombo on February 15. Last week, the Pakistan Government through a post on social media platform ‘X’ informed that their national team will not be taking the field against India.
There is more bad news coming in for Team India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 as a Pakistan cricketer has become world No. 1 player in T20I rankings. In the latest rankings announced on Wednesday, opener and all-rounder Saim Ayub has become the news world No. 1 all-rounder in the T20I format of the game.
Ayub has returned to the top on the back of some excellent showings for Pakistan during their 3-0 whitewash against 2021 T20 World Cup champions Australia on home soil, with the 23-year-old replacing Zimbabwe veteran and captain Sikandar Raza in the top spot.
Major confidence boost for Pakistan all-rounder with the #T20WorldCup just around the corner
More on the latest ICC Men’s Player Rankings https://t.co/IGtopFC3we
— ICC (@ICC) February 4, 2026
It is good news for Ayub and Pakistan just days out from the start of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 as the Asian side look to claim their second title in the 20-over showcase event and their first since they tasted success in the second edition of the tournament back in 2009. Ayub scored 119 runs and grabbed three wickets across the series against Australia and he wasn’t the only player from Pakistan to put together some good performances and be rewarded on the rankings this week prior to the start of the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 7.
Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed also gained two places to move to second on the list for T20I bowlers, with the right-armer now just 28 rating points behind No.1-ranked Varun Chakravarthy from India following six wickets across three matches against the Aussies. Fellow Pakistan spinner and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz also makes gains on the updated rankings for T20I bowlers, with the lefty improving eight spots to seventh overall following a five-wicket haul in the final game of the series against Australia.
Nawaz also rose one place to fourth overall on the list for T20I all-rounders, with Pakistan teammates Ayub (up eight rungs to equal 27th) and skipper Salman Ali Agha (up 12 spots to 29th) the big eye-catchers on the latest rankings for T20I batters.
There is some movement inside the top 10 for T20I batters as Abhishek Sharma held on to a commanding lead at the head of proceedings, with England’s Jos Buttler (third), Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka (fifth), Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav (sixth) and New Zealand’s Tim Seifert (ninth) all gaining one place.
A total of seven different sides are represented inside the top 11 on the batter rankings, with the T20 World Cup sure to provide ample opportunies for further movement. Australia all-rounder Cameron Green (up 16 places to 14th) and South Africa dasher Quinton de Kock (up 15 spots to equal 22nd) also make ground, while Indian Ishan Kishan (up 32 rungs to 32nd) and Proteas left-hander Ryan Rickelton (up 42 slots to 40th) make big gains on the same list for T20I batters.
Experienced duo Adil Rashid (up two places to fourth) and Mitchell Santner (up eight spots to equal 23rd) are other players to make gains on the list for T20I bowlers and the pair will be pivotal to the fortunes of their sides at the T20 World Cup.