Shabnim Ismail moves to 2nd spot in T20I rankings for bowlers

Shabnim Ismail moved up to second place in the latest ICC T20I player rankings, ICC announced on Thursday (February 4).



The South Africa pacer overtook Australia’s Megan Schutt in the latest update. 32-year-old Ismail finished as the leading wicket-taker in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan. She took seven wickets at an incredible average of 8.71 and an economy rate of 5.08. She was particularly devastating in the second match taking her career-best figures of five for 12 to help South Africa seal the series.



During the first T20I, Ismail became the fourth overall and first South African bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is. She is one of the three nominees for inaugural ICC Player of the Month that started on January 2021.



ALSO READ: Shabnim Ismail and relentlessness



Left-arm spinner Anam Amin returned to the top ten ranking gaining seven spots to move to number ten in the list. She was leading wicket-taker from the Pakistan side with four wickets to her name at a bowling average of 16.50 and economy rate of 5.50. Amin was particularly impressive in the final T20I where she took 2 for 14 to help Pakistan register their solitary win of the tour.



From South Africa, Marizanne Kapp gained 14 positions to move to 32^nd in the bowlers ranking. Batters Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits rose to 28^th and 37^th slots to gain their career-best T20I batting rankings.



For Pakistan, 16-year-old batter Ayesha Naseem climbed 707 slots to reach 105 in the ranking for her impressive show in the first two T20Is. Kainat Imtiaz also achieved her career-best batting ranking in T20Is with her latest position of 130.



South Africa is still placed number five in the team rankings, while Pakistan continue to remain at number seven in the T20I ladder.