When Suryakumar Yadav steps onto the field against England, he will no longer hold the title of the world’s No. 1 T20I batter. For the first time since December 2023, the star Indian batter has been dethroned by Australia’s Travis Head tops ICC rankings. Despite Australia being knocked out, Head’s explosive performance in the T20 World Cup has rocketed him to the top spot in the latest ICC rankings, released on Wednesday.
Travis Head Surpasses Suryakumar with Stellar World Cup Performance
Head’s blistering knock of 76 runs off just 43 balls in Australia’s final Super Eight clash against India played a key role in his rise to the top. Even though Australia fell short, Head’s overall performance throughout the tournament was impressive. He scored 255 runs in seven matches at an average of 42.5, with a tournament-leading strike rate of 158.39 among batsmen with over 200 runs.
Travis Head tops ICC rankings
Suryakumar, now at No. 2, shouldn’t be counted out just yet. With 149 runs in six World Cup outings, he trails Head by only two rating points. A strong performance in India’s upcoming semi-final clash against England could see him reclaim the top spot. If he continues his form and reaches the final, the No. 1 ranking could be his once again.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have also slipped in the rankings. Babar has moved from third to fourth, while Rizwan is now ranked fifth. This drop follows a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign for Pakistan.
Latest ICC Men’s T20I Batters Rankings
| Rank | Country | Batter | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | Travis Head | 844 |
| 2 | India | Suryakumar Yadav | 842 |
| 3 | England | Phil Salt | 816 |
| 4 | Pakistan | Babar Azam | 755 |
| 5 | Pakistan | Mohammad Rizwan | 746 |
