Nicholas Pooran leads the way as Windies players make big gains in ICC Men’s T20I Rankings

Wicketkeeper batsman Nicholas Pooran moved three spots to break into the top 10 after scores of 65 not out, 19 and 35 across the three games. The aggressive left-hander is now the Caribbean side’s highest-ranked batsman in the format, overtaking the injured Brandon King, who slipped one place down to 10 after he sat out the series.

Johnson Charles, who also didn’t feature in the series, also slipped one place down to 11^th, while West Indies captain Rovman Powell stood still at number 34.

Shai Hope continues to prove his worth in the games shortest format, as his scores of 51, 41, and an unbeaten 42 saw him jump 32 places up to 40th, overtaking out-of-favour Kyle Mayers, who slipped three spots down to 42^nd as the next West Indies players in the top 50.

Despite the loss, South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks also made gains, as he moved up to 13^th position.

In the bowling rankings, West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein of moved up four places to second position after taking four wickets in three matches. He was joined by fellow left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who moved 10 slots up to third, while Romario Shepherd moved 13 spots up to 31st position.

Alzarri Joseph, who slipped four spots to 15^th, Jason Holder (44^th) and left-arm seamer Obed McCoy (50^th) are the other West Indies bowlers in the top 50.

Meanwhile, England batter Harry Brook moved up to fourth position, while Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Rizwan have reached career-best positions in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings after their fine performances over the past week.

Brook’s scores of 56 and 32 in the first match of their ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka in Manchester lifted him three places to fourth position, just one adrift of his career-best third position attained following his second-innings century against the West Indies at Trent Bridge last month.

Bangladesh batter Mushfiq’s match-winning 191 in the first Test of the WTC series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi has helped him advance seven places to a career-best-equalling 17^th position, while Pakistan’s Rizwan is in the top 10 for the first time after scores of 171 not out and 51.

Others to move up the Test rankings include Sri Lanka batters Dinesh Chandimal (up four places to 23^rd) and Kamindu Mendis (up eight places to 36^th), Bangladesh’s Liton Das (up two places to 27^th) and England’s Jamie Smith (up 22 places to 42^nd).

In the Test bowling rankings, England’s Chris Woakes is up four places to 16^th after taking three wickets each in both innings against Sri Lanka while Asitha Fernando is up 10 places to 17^th after also finishing with six wickets in the match.

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah (up four places to 33^rd), England’s new-ball bowler Gus Atkinson (up four places to 42^nd) and Matthew Potts (up five places to 57^th) are the prominent movers in the bowling rankings.