- Urdu version of the media release attached here
Lahore, 21 April 2021: Pakistan captain Babar Azam will defend his number-two T20I ranking when his side will play Zimbabwe in a three-match series in Harare on 21, 23 and 25 April.
Babar aggregated 210 runs in his side’s 3-1 series win over South Africa and was rewarded with 43 points, which have helped him to move ahead of Australia’s Aaron Finch in second place in the latest rankings, which were released on Wednesday afternoon.
Babar had started the series on 801 points – 29 points behind Finch and has finished the series on 844. However, Babar’s thin 14-point lead over Finch means he will have to perform strongly in Harare to, at least, defend his number-two ranking.
If Babar succeeds in defending the number-two ranking, then he will get a shot at regaining the top spot when he will go head to head with Malan’s England in the three T20I series in July.
Fakhar Zaman’s is a similar story as he follows up his progress in the ODI rankings with that in T20Is, gaining 17 slots to reach 33rd position after scores of eight not out and 60 in the last two matches.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who notched an unbeaten knock of 73 in the third match, has advanced eight places to reach a career-best 15th position.
Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has attained a career best-equaling 11th spot after grabbing a wicket each in the two matches while Faheem Ashraf (up 12 places to 16th), Mohammad Nawaz (up four places to 24th) and Haris Rauf (up 43 places to 38th) have also moved up in the bowlers’ list.
