Bhanuka, Hasaranga make handsome gains in ICC T20I rankings

Thursday, 15 September 2022 01:55 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga

Sri Lanka players Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga, heroes of a memorable victory over Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday, have made handsome gains in the ICC Men’s T20I Player rankings.

Rajapaksa’s blistering 71 off 45 deliveries with six fours and three sixes, that won him the Player of the Match award, has helped him advance 34 places to a career-best 34th position. Rajapaksa had scores of 25 not out against India and 24 against Pakistan in other matches of the tournament played during the past week.

All-rounder Hasaranga, a formerly top-ranked bowler, has advanced in all three lists after a fine all-round effort in the final saw him smash a 21-ball 36 and follow it up with a late triple-strike with his leg-spin bowling. With a three-wicket haul in the previous match against Pakistan two days earlier, he has moved up three places to sixth position. He is also up seven places to fourth among all-rounders and up 28 places to 152nd among batters.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who grabbed three for 29 in the final and two wickets each in the previous two matches, has moved up nine places to 25th.

Mohammad Nawaz has progressed seven places to 34th and Mohammad Hasnain has gained 14 places to reach 96th in the latest weekly update.

Former India captain Virat Kohli, who smashed a match-winning 122 not out off 61 deliveries in a Super Fours match against Afghanistan, has leaped 14 places to reach 15th position while seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s remarkable haul of five for four in the same match has lifted him to the top 10, from 11th to seventh position. Lokesh Rahul has progressed from 30th to 23rd.

Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (up nine places to 41st) and Axar Patel (up 14 places to 57th) have also made notable gains, while Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran has advanced 55 places to 63rd after his unbeaten half-century against India. Meanwhile, Mohammad Nabi has conceded the top place for all-rounders to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hassan.