Record-breaking feat: Abhishek Sharma creates history with new high in ICC T20I Rankings

Abhishek Sharma creates history with new high in ICC T20I Rankings. (AP Photo)

Flamboyant India opener Abhishek Sharma, who won Player of the Series in the Asia Cup, set a new rating point record for batters in the ICC men's T20I Player Rankings.

The 25-year-old left-hander achieved 931 rating points, 12 higher than the previous high of 919, which was achieved by Dawid Malan of England in 2020.

Abhishek achieved the milestone after his 61 against Sri Lanka. He concluded the tournament with 926 ratings, 82 more than Phil Salt of England, who came in second. Abhishek scored 75 against Bangladesh last week as well.

Tilak Varma is still in third place despite gaining 28 rating points after his undefeated knocks of 49 against Sri Lanka and 69 against Pakistan.

With a century against India, Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka has risen into the top five, while Saif Hassan of Bangladesh (up 45 spots to 36th), India's Sanju Samson (up 8 spots to 31st), and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan (up 11 spots to 13th) have all moved up.

While Pakistan's left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (up 12 places to 13th), Bangladesh's leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (up six places to 20th), India's pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah (up 12 places to 29th), and Pakistan's left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (up five places to 41st) have all advanced in the bowling rankings, India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets against Pakistan in the final, has moved up nine spots to 12th.

Saim Ayub of Pakistan has moved up four spots to become the top all-round player for the first time in his career, surpassing Hardik Pandya of India, Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan, Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe, and Deependra Airee of Nepal.

Airee is still in fourth place, although she moved up five rating points to 214, 27 points behind Ayub. In addition, Airee moved up 10 spots to take 72nd spot among bowlers. Lalit Rajbanshi (up six places to 51st) among bowlers and Aasif Sheikh (up three places to 77th) among hitters are other Nepal players to gain after their historic series win over the West Indies.