ICC T20I rankings: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia players rise after Windhoek tri-series

Connor Esterhuizen. (Photo Source: Joe Allison/Getty Images)

South Africa opener Connor Esterhuizen has climbed 65 places in the updated ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings following the tri-series in Windhoek, where South Africa faced hosts Namibia and Zimbabwe. The 25-year-old right-hander gathered 126 runs across four innings during the event, with his most telling contribution being a knock of 88 in the closing group-stage match against Namibia. That sequence of scores was enough to propel him to 25th on the global T20I batting list.

Fellow South African Lhuan-dre Pretorius produced an even more prolific series with the bat. The 20-year-old accumulated 226 runs from four innings, a return that earned him a 61-place rise to equal 43rd in the same rankings. Together, the two batters have given South Africa a noticeably stronger presence in the ICC’s T20I batting standings.

How did Namibia’s players fare in the ICC T20I rankings?

Namibia did not advance to the tri-series final, yet their players still registered meaningful movement in the ICC standings. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus moved up 16 rungs to 55th on the T20I batting list, while opener Louren Steenkamp climbed 32 slots to reach an equal 73rd after contributing useful scores throughout the competition.

Erasmus also made his mark in the ICC Men’s T20I All-Rounders Rankings. The Namibia captain jumped four places to eighth overall, a position that represents a new career-high rating for him. That recognition came on the back of 149 runs and five wickets across the home tri-series, underlining his value as a match-winning all-round option for his country.

Which bowlers moved up the ICC T20I bowling rankings?

Zimbabwe seamer Brad Evans was the most prominent mover among the bowlers following the Windhoek tri-series. The right-armer took 10 wickets at an average of 15.80, a haul that lifted him four spots to equal 22nd on the ICC Men’s T20I Bowling Rankings. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza also gained ground in the same list, moving up two places to 27th.

Also Read: Pretorius and Simelane ruled out of Proteas squad for Namibia ODIs

South Africa’s bowling unit contributed to the rankings movement as well. Kwena Maphaka rose 16 spots to equal 38th, while Bjorn Fortuin made the biggest positional gain among the South African bowlers, climbing 37 slots to equal 78th on the T20I bowling list. Both were rewarded for consistent performances with the ball across the tri-series in Windhoek.

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