DUBAI: Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan consolidated his position at the top of the ICC T20I Player Rankings after returning with 12 wickets from the just-concluded T20 international series against Bangladesh at Dehradun.
The 19-year-old wonder spinner has gained 54 points to finish with 813 points, 80 more than second-placed Shadab Khan of Pakistan.
His compatriots, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have also made remarkable improvements in the ICC T20I Player Rankings after playing important parts in a 3-0 defeat of Bangladesh.
Rashid, who was named ICC’s Associate Player of the Year for 2017, touched a career-high rating of 816 points after a haul of four for 12 in the second match.
Nabi has gained 11 spots and reached a career-best eighth rank after taking four wickets and Mujeeb has jumped 62 slots to 51st place in the latest update, which also takes into account the T20I between the Windies and the ICC World XI played at Lord’s on 31 May.
Slow bowlers, six of which are leg-spinners, now hold the top nine positions in the bowlers’ rankings.
Afghanistan all-rounder Samiullah Shenwari, who top-scored in the series with 118 runs, has gained 11 spots to reach 44th position among batsmen while the Bangladesh batsmen to advance include Mahmudullah (up four places to 33rd) and Mushfiqur Rahim (up three places to 41st).
Among others to improve their rankings are Windies’ Evin Lewis (up one place to fifth among batsmen), Kesrick Williams (up five spots to 41st among bowlers) and Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera (up three places to 38th among batsmen).
There has been no change of places in the ICC T20I Team Rankings with Afghanistan and Bangladesh retaining their eighth and 10th positions, respectively.
Afghanistan though have gained four points to reach 91 points while Bangladesh have lost five and are on 70, only four more than Scotland, who can overtake them in an upcoming two-match series against top-ranked Pakistan on 12 and 13 June.
Pakistan will gain one point with a 2-0 win in that series, finish with 127 points and retain top position with a 1-1 draw but slide to 123 points and third place in case of a 2-0 loss.
Scotland, who will go past Bangladesh with a 1-1 result, also feature in a tri-series with Ireland and the Netherlands from 12-20 June. (AGENCIES)
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