Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed has lost the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, with Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan reclaiming the top position in the latest rankings released on October 7. The change came after the completion of the Asian Games in Japan.
Abrar had reached the top of the rankings for the first time in his career on September 23. He became only the fifth Pakistan bowler to achieve the No. 1 position in the T20I bowling rankings.
Abrar’s Asian Games Performances
Abrar played for Pakistan during the Asian Games and featured in the semi-final and final. He took no wickets for 29 runs in the semi-final and claimed one wicket for 29 runs in the final.
Those figures were not enough to keep him at the top of the rankings. Rashid Khan moved back ahead of the Pakistan spinner after the latest update.
Rashid now begins another spell at the top of the T20I bowling rankings. The Afghanistan leg-spinner has already spent more time at No. 1 than any other player in the format, according to the ICC.
Abrar Still Among the World’s Best
Despite losing the top position, Abrar remains one of the leading T20I bowlers in world cricket. His rise to No. 1 in September followed a strong run of performances for Pakistan.
The 28-year-old spinner had taken 15 wickets in nine T20Is for Pakistan during 2026 at the time he reached the summit. His wickets included six in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Australia, which Pakistan won 3-0.
Abrar also became the fifth Pakistani bowler to reach No. 1 in the T20I rankings. Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Imad Wasim and Shahid Afridi had previously achieved the feat.
Rashid Khan Returns to the Top
Rashid’s return gives Afghanistan the leading bowler in the latest ICC T20I rankings. The move also highlights how quickly rankings can change after international matches.
The latest update brought several other changes to the bowling list. India’s Axar Patel climbed 16 places to seventh, while Bangladesh’s Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan also made significant gains. Pakistan’s Saim Ayub moved eight places to 62nd.
For Pakistan, Abrar’s fall from the top does not change his importance to the national T20I side. The mystery spinner remains a key option for Pakistan as the team prepares for its upcoming international assignments.
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