India’s Wrist spinner Creates History
Varun Chakravarthy has climbed to the summit of the ICC men’s T20I bowling rankings, becoming the top-ranked bowler after a string of impactful performances in the Asia Cup. The 34-year-old Indian wristspinner returned figures of 1 for 4 against the UAE and 1 for 24 in the high-pressure clash with Pakistan, efforts that have propelled him to the No. 1 spot.
Chakravarthy is now the third Indian bowler to lead the T20I rankings, following in the footsteps of Jasprit Bumrah and fellow wristspinner Ravi Bishnoi.
The latest update sees Chakravarthy overtaking New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy, who had held the No. 1 position since March. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara moved up six spots to sixth after a steady start to his Asia Cup campaign.
Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem also climbed four places to 11th, while India’s Axar Patel rose to 12th. Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed made one of the biggest leaps of the week, jumping 11 places to 16th, with Kuldeep Yadav surging 16 places to 23rd. Afghanistan’s left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad continued his upward trajectory, now sitting at No. 25.
Abhishek Sharma Extends Lead Among Batters
On the batting front, India opener Abhishek Sharma continues to dominate. His quickfire knocks—30 off 16 balls against the UAE and 31 off just 13 against Pakistan—helped him tighten his grip on the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
England’s opening pair also made waves. Phil Salt climbed to No. 2 after a record-breaking 141 not out from 60 deliveries—the highest T20I score by an Englishman and their fastest hundred. Skipper Jos Buttler, who hammered 83 off 30 balls in the same game against South Africa at Old Trafford, entered the top three for the first time.
The rankings update reflects the intensity of the Asia Cup and the explosive brand of cricket being played around the world. For India, Chakravarthy’s rise underlines the depth of their bowling arsenal, while Abhishek Sharma’s dominance with the bat highlights the new generation’s growing influence on the shortest format