England’s Dawid Malan loses top spot in world T20 batting rankings

Dawid Malan has been knocked off top spot in the world Twenty20 batting rankings by Pakistan captain Babar Azam while England team-mate Jos Buttler is into the top 10 after some stellar T20 World Cup displays.

Malan rose to the top of the International Cricket Council standings in September last year, going above Babar, and went on to achieve the highest ever points rating for a batter – 915 – in December.

But he has averaged just 25.83 in 15 T20s this year – bringing his career record down to 41.6 in 34 matches – and has made scores of 28 not out, eight and six in his three innings at the World Cup.

Babar has amassed 198 runs at the tournament, amassing three half-centuries in four matches, to take him back above Malan.

Buttler is the current leading run-scorer in the World Cup after following up a dashing unbeaten 71 off 32 balls against Australia with 101 not out from 67 deliveries against Sri Lanka – his first international century in the format.

Buttler has leapt eight spots to a career-best position of ninth, while Adil Rashid has moved above fellow leg-spinner Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and into third spot in the bowling rankings, with Chris Jordan sitting ninth.