ICC T20I Rankings: Virat Kohli drops one spot to fifth, KL Rahul slips to eighth

Dubai: South Africa batter Aiden Markram and Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan have attained career-best positions in the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after their fine starts to the Men's T20 World Cup 2021.

Markram, who struck 40 and 51 not out against Australia and the West Indies, respectively, has gained eight slots to reach the third position, only behind Dawid Malan and Babar Azam. His previous best was ninth place last month and he now averages nearly 40 with a strike rate of 147.29 in his career.

Rizwan is up to the fourth place, two better than the sixth he reached in July, following up his 79 not out against India with a score of 33 in their second match against New Zealand on Tuesday.

India skipper Virat Kohli has dropped down to the fifth spot while KL Rahul has also slipped to the eighth position in the rankings.

Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz has risen nine places to a career-best 12th position after notching up 46 against Scotland while Bangladesh opener Mohammad Naim has moved up 11 places to a career-best 13th position after his 52-ball 62 against Sri Lanka.

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus is up to joint-37th position after helping his side into the Super 12s.

The top nine names in the bowlers' list are all slow bowlers with Bangladesh spinner Mahedi Hasan's consistent economical bowling lifting him nine places to a career-best 12th position.

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, who starred in their memorable 10-wicket win over India with a haul of three for 31, is up 11 places to 12th position, just two off his career-best. Harris Rauf, whose four for 22 against New Zealand helped them register a second consecutive win, has gained 34 slots to reach a career-best 17th position.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan has regained the top spot among all-rounders after a fine start to the World Cup.