Bumrah vaults to career best No 2 spot in ICC T20I rankings

Dubai, June 23 (IANS) Indian medium pacer Jasprit Bumrah's impressive show in the just-concluded series against Zimbabwe lifted him to a career-best second spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 International rankings released here on Thursday.

Bumrah, who took five wickets in the three T20Is vaulted six places to become India's highest ranked bowler in the shortest format after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slipped four places to seventh following his decision to miss the series.

Bumrah now has number-one ranked Samuel Badree firmly within his sights. The West Indies wrist spinner leads Bumrah by 46 points.

Bumrah's new ball partner Barinder Sran, who finished the series as the most successful bowler with six wickets, has broken into the rankings in 225th position.

Among the batsmen, Mandeep Singh and Lokesh Rahul have returned to the rankings in 100th and 102nd positions respectively, while other notable movers are Manish Pandey in 152nd (up by 119 places) and Ambati Rayudu 217th (up by 133 places).

Maharashtra stumper Kedar Jadhav has also vaulted 181 places to 106th after finishing the third leading run-getter with 77 runs that included a match-winning 42-ball 58 that helped India to set-up a winning score.

Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli continues to lead the batting chart in the shortest format followed by Australian Aaron Finch and New Zealander Martin Guptill at second and third respectively.

In team rankings, India missed a chance to wrest back the top position despite defeating Zimbabwe by a 2-1 margin.

India had started the series a fraction of a point behind top-placed New Zealand and needed to win the series 3-0 to perch itself at the top of the table.

However, after Zimbabwe pulled off a thrilling two-run victory in the opening match of the series on Saturday, India kissed goodbye to its chances of reclaiming the number one position which it had surrendered to the Blackcaps following the annual update in May.

India is now on 128 points -- four behind New Zealand and six ahead of reigning ICC World Twenty20 champion West Indies.

--IANS

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