![Abhishek Sharma became no. 1 batter once again [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1793178168729_abhishekranking.jpg?type=hq)
Abhishek Sharma became no. 1 batter once again [Source: AFP]
Abhishek Sharma's sensational hundred in the Wellington T20I against New Zealand helped him dethrone Ishan Kishan and reclaim the number 1 spot in the ICC T20I rankings. On Wednesday, October 28, the ICC announced the updated player rankings, with Abhishek moving up one spot to the first position.
Among others, Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan climbed to the second position, while Indian T20I captain Shreyas Iyer witnessed a drastic demotion amid his modest outings in New Zealand.
Abhishek Sharma becomes the number 1 T20I batter after Wellington mayhem
The third T20I between India and New Zealand at the Hnry Stadium in Wellington saw Abhishek Sharma dismantle the BlackCaps attack with a blistering hundred. After being put in to bat first, the hosts posted a respectable total of 198 runs, riding on Daryl Mitchell's flamboyant half-century.
However, the target proved insufficient for India's destructive batting unit, as Abhishek Sharma single-handedly powered the tourists to a series-sealing victory. The swashbuckling left-hander hammered 113 runs off just 38 balls, a knock that helped him reclaim the first position in the ICC T20I rankings for the batters.
While Abhishek rose one place to the first spot with 897 rating points, Ishan Kishan was demoted to the third place amid a prolonged absence in the New Zealand T20Is due to injury.
Ishan, who managed a solitary run in the first game, missed the subsequent matches due to a right adductor strain. Currently, the Jharkhand batter is placed third in the ICC T20I rankings with 866 rating points, with Sahibzada Farhan sitting at the second position with a career-best 883 points.
Other notable developments in ICC T20I rankings
Among other players, experienced Indian keeper-batter Sanju Samson has made a progression of six spots, finishing as the 20th ranked cricketer in the ICC T20I rankings for batters.
Finn Allen, who has scored 101 runs in the first three T20Is against India at a strike rate of 160.32, has moved up three places to the 25th in the batters' list.
Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, has been demoted by five positions to the ninth after scoring only 54 runs in the first three T20Is against New Zealand.
Indian pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh and New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner have moved six and seven places up to the 15th and 7th spots, respectively, having bagged four and seven wickets in the ongoing series.
