India’s spin star Varun Chakravarthy, who kept the second place in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings, is now dropped to the third position, as India hasn’t played any T20Is in the past two months. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s fast bowler Jacob Duffy has become the number-1 T20I bowler for the first time. This came after his remarkable performance against Pakistan in the recent 5-match T20I series, where he claimed a series-high 13 wickets at an average of 8.38. Duffy’s bowling helped Kiwis crush Pakistan by clinching the series by 4-1.
Varun Chakravarthy at number 3
Duffy’s rise to the No. 1 ranking sees him surpassing West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein, as well as India’s prominent bowlers like Varun Chakaravarthy, Adil Rashid, and Wanindu Hasaranga. This achievement marks the first time Duffy has held the top bowler ranking in any format, and he becomes the first New Zealander to claim the premier bowling position in men’s T20I cricket since Ish Sodhi in 2018.
#STATCHAT A fantastic series for Jacob Duffy, as he equals the record for most wickets in a 5-match T20I series for the BLACKCAPS
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 27, 2025#Cricket #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/NIDmOCPJ86
Tim Seifert’s impressive series performance
Jacob Duffy is not the only New Zealander climbing the rankings. Top-order batter Tim Seifert also reached a new career-high rating after an outstanding series against Pakistan. Seifert scored 249 runs at an average of 62.25, with his best score of 97* in the final match of the series in Wellington. His performances earned him the Player of the Series title and helped him rise five spots to eighth on the T20I batters’ rankings, where Australia’s Travis Head currently holds the top position.
Men’s T20I bowling rankings
| Rank | Player | Change | Country | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacob Duffy | +4 | New Zealand | 723 |
| 2 | Akeal Hosein | -1 | West Indies | 707 |
| 3 | Varun Chakaravarthy | -1 | India | 706 |
| 4 | Adil Rashid | -1 | England | 705 |
| 5 | Wanindu Hasaranga | -1 | Sri Lanka | 700 |
| 6 | Adam Zampa | -1 | Australia | 694 |
| 7 | Ravi Bishnoi | – | India | 674 |
| 8 | Maheesh Theekshana | – | Sri Lanka | 666 |
| 9 | Rashid Khan | – | Afghanistan | 664 |
| 10 | Arshdeep Singh | – | India | 653 |
