The ICC’s newly released rankings update has sent shockwaves through cricket circles, especially in South Asia, as several Bangladeshi cricketers made extraordinary climbs after their impressive showing against Ireland. The Tigers’ controlled execution with bat and ball during the three-match T20I series resulted in some of the biggest jumps in recent times.
At the forefront of the improvement stands Parvez Hossain Emon, who enjoyed one of the biggest ranking boosts of his career. Despite modest totals, the timing and value of his runs were critical for Bangladesh. His 77 runs at an average of 38.50 were enough to push him up 21 spots, taking him to the 38th spot in the T20I batting rankings. His rise indicates his evolving importance in Bangladesh’s top order.
Tawhid Hridoy, another rising star, also enjoyed a massive surge. With 89 runs from only two innings—making him the top scorer of the series—Hridoy jumped five positions, now occupying 43rd place. His controlled aggression and composure under pressure were key to Bangladesh’s batting strategy.
Bowling, however, is where Bangladesh shined the brightest. Mustafizur Rahman, the left-arm magician, who has long been one of the most dependable T20 bowlers for the Tigers, saw a significant rise. His three wickets from three matches helped him advance two positions, taking him to 8th place among T20 bowlers globally.
The spin unit produced equally impressive results. Mehidy Hasan, delivering excellent spells with figures of 4/49 in two matches, moved up three places to 14th. Wrist-spinner Rishad Hossain earned a five-spot improvement and now sits at 19th, while Nasum Ahmed also climbed five places to become the 25th-ranked spinner in T20Is.
Elsewhere in international cricket, India’s ODI giant Virat Kohli made headlines yet again. His masterful 135-run innings against South Africa in the first ODI powered him up one place to fourth in the ODI batting rankings. With 751 points, he is now breathing down the neck of Rohit Sharma, trailing by only 32 points—raising questions on whether Kohli is on the verge of reclaiming his No. 1 position after nearly four years.
In Pakistan, the tri-nation tournament turned out to be a career-reviving stage for Saim Ayub, who scored 118 runs and picked up 3 wickets. His all-round brilliance pushed him back to the No. 1 spot among T20I all-rounders, overtaking Sikandar Raza.
The Test rankings also stirred as South African fast bowler Marco Jansen climbed five spots to take the prestigious 5th place, thanks to his exceptional performance in the landmark Test series win in India. His teammate, off-spinner Simon Harmer, jumped a staggering 13 positions to reach No. 11.
Bangladesh will surely welcome these improvements, which reflect not only the success of their recent matches but also a promising upward trajectory as they prepare for more competitive international cricket.
