ICC T20I Rankings: Colin Munro, Ish Sodhi Climb up the Chart

The series between New Zealand and Windies brought a lot of changes in the ICC T20 rankings list. The ICC issued the new rankings on Thursday, and Kiwi opener Colin Munro moved to the top of the T20I Batting rankings while Kiwi spinner Ish Sodhi became the number one ranked bowler in the shortest format.

Munro and Sodhi became the second pair from New Zealand to top the T20I rankings for batting and bowling after Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori achieved the feat in 2009 and 2010.

The rankings came a day after the Kiwis thrashed T20 World Champions Windies, 2-0 in the three-match series. Colin Munro was the star of the host country, as he finished the series, as the leading run scorer in the series with 223 runs at a strike rate of over 197. Munro also became the first batsman to score three international T20 hundred.

Munro jumped 11 spots and moved to the first place in the T20 rankings for the first time in his career. In the process, Munro also overtook his captain Kane Williamson who slipped two spots to seventh place and Martin Guptill also dropped one spot to 11^th position. A jubilant Munro said,

“It’s a bit of a surprise but one that I think anybody would take. It’s been a bit of a goal of mine to get up the rankings and to get to the top is pretty special. Yeh, great to get the treble. It’s pretty weird actually, and it’s a testament to the way we’ve prepared. Ish has been bowling wonderfully in T20 cricket, and the team has been going from strength to strength, and it’s a testament to the way we’ve been preparing for series, and I think we’re getting better and better every time.”  

Similarly, Ish Sodhi moved to the number one spot in the T20I bowling rankings, as he jumped to the number one position from number 10^th spot. Sodhi picked up three wickets in the two innings and has now moved seven points ahead of second-placed Imad Wasim.

While Sodhi said,

“I’m really grateful for the success I’ve had, and I’m stoked to be ranked number-one. It hasn’t really sunk in just yet, but I’m sure it will as the days progress. I’ve been trying to find a really good balance between attacking and defending, and I think it’s getting better and better the more I play. I played club cricket with Colin when I was about 15-years-old, and he handed me my first premier cricket cap. So, I’m stoked to see him doing what he is doing at the highest level. We’ve been a really good T20I side for quite some time now, and I think it’s probably down to how we adapt to conditions and also our leadership – the boys have been really good at helping us, young players.”

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