Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has reached the top of the ICC Men’s T20I bowling rankings for the first time in his career.
Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has achieved a major milestone by becoming the No.1 ranked T20I bowler in the world in the latest ICC Men’s T20I rankings. The 28-year-old moved to the top of the rankings after overtaking Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, becoming only the fifth Pakistan bowler to reach the summit in the format.
Abrar currently has 736 rating points, with Rashid Khan dropping to second place and Australia’s Adam Zampa moving into third. The achievement represents another important step in Abrar’s international career, particularly after establishing himself as a regular member of Pakistan’s white-ball setup.
The Karachi-born mystery spinner has represented Pakistan in all three formats. He has played 10 Tests, 19 ODIs and 38 T20Is, taking 133 international wickets. In T20Is during 2026, Abrar has taken 15 wickets from nine appearances, including six wickets during Pakistan’s three-match home series against Australia earlier this year.
Abrar’s rise has also come alongside improvement in the ODI rankings. He is currently ranked second among ODI bowlers, sitting behind Rashid Khan. The fact that he now occupies the top position in T20Is while remaining near the summit in ODIs highlights his growing importance to Pakistan’s limited-overs bowling attack.
The latest ranking achievement comes at an important time for Pakistan. Abrar is currently part of the Pakistan squad preparing for the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games. Pakistan will enter the tournament at the quarter-final stage, with the knockout phase scheduled to begin on September 28.
Speaking after reaching the No.1 position, Abrar said representing Pakistan had always been his biggest dream and that reaching the top ranking was another significant milestone. He also expressed his desire to perform strongly and help Pakistan compete for Asian Games gold.
Abrar’s achievement adds his name to a select group of Pakistani bowlers who have previously topped the T20I rankings, including Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Imad Wasim and Shahid Afridi. His latest rise gives Pakistan another world-ranked bowler to rely on as the team moves into an important phase of its international schedule.
#AbrarAhmed #PakistanCricket #T20I #ICCRankings #CricketNews #Sports #RashidKhan #ICC #TeamPakistan #Howzzat
