Pakistan climb to top spot in ICC T20 rankings

E-Paper | February 28, 2026

Pakistan's T20 team made history on Wednesday as it climbed to the number one spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 Rankings "for the first time ever", the cricket governing body announced.

Pakistan reached the top slot after India beat New Zealand in their latest Twenty20 tournament.

Former top T20 team, New Zealand lost to India by 53 runs in their first 20-overs game. India, who scored 202 runs for a loss of three wickets in the first innings, restricted NZ to 148-8.

New Zealand slipped down to number two spot, while India had to settle for the fifth spot in the ICC T20 rankings.

It seems that Pakistan's triumphs in cricket are on a roll, as last month pacer Hasan Ali emerged as the top bowler in the ICC One Day International (ODI) rankings.

Last year, Pakistan reached the number 1 spot in ICC Test rankings under Misbahul Haq's captaincy, the second time in 28 years.

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SHAKAIB SIDDIQUI

Nov 01, 2017 11:27pm

Congratulations! TEAM PAKISTAN

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American Raja

Nov 01, 2017 11:28pm

Congratulations! Well deserved.

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Humanity

Nov 01, 2017 11:29pm

Stay put Guys, retaining it won't be easy.

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abdeali nafar

Nov 01, 2017 11:29pm

congratulations... very well done. Keep it up.

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Syed Masood

Nov 01, 2017 11:35pm

Stand up we are the Champions

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Ravi

Nov 01, 2017 11:45pm

Congratulations...

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Truth sayer

Nov 01, 2017 11:56pm

AlhamdullilAh

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M Akram

Nov 01, 2017 11:56pm

Happy Days are here again. Well done Team Pakistan.

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Uday Kulkarni

Nov 01, 2017 11:56pm

Congratulations Pakistan for the top ranking in the world for T 20.

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Hafeez, Canada

Nov 01, 2017 11:57pm

Congratulations Team Pakistan....

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AXH

Nov 02, 2017 12:10am

Congratulations to the Green Shirts.

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Tariq

Nov 02, 2017 12:16am

All praise to young talents and Sir-faraz's captaincy ..

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Ikram

Nov 02, 2017 12:17am

Congratulation!

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Prasannajit

Nov 02, 2017 12:22am

Pakistan never ever play good cricket continuously. Hence like in test ranking this t20 rank also will be toppled within weeks .

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Emad Chowdhry

Nov 02, 2017 12:33am

I will be short-lived one just like Test ranking. Celebrate while you can! Congrats!!!

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Changez Khan

Nov 02, 2017 12:34am

Just Amazing. The Best of the Bests in Cricket 'Pakistan'.

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Aussie

Nov 02, 2017 12:45am

CONGRATULATIONS PAKISTAN

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Saad tariq

Nov 02, 2017 12:58am

Pakistan Zindabad!

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Saad

Nov 02, 2017 01:00am

Mashallah - best wishes with lot of prayers.

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F S

Nov 02, 2017 01:13am

Keep it up!!

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Shahryar Shirazi

Nov 02, 2017 01:27am

I do not understand this ranking business. We are clearly not the best team when it comes to Ind, Aus, SAF, Eng and even WI/NZ (T20)

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Maan

Nov 02, 2017 01:38am

Well done boys.. Keep it up..

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ALI

Nov 02, 2017 01:39am

SPLENDID!

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Mian Shoaib

Nov 02, 2017 02:17am

Congrats team Pakistan. Keep it up

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Amer

Nov 02, 2017 02:19am

This is the only news worth commenting ! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD !

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s shahid

Nov 02, 2017 02:30am

Great news.. Pakistan Zindabad !

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Ali-Chauhan

Nov 02, 2017 02:50am

Good on you Champs.

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Pakistan First

Nov 02, 2017 03:13am

Due to recent success in T20s Pakistan deserves to be No 1 in this format anyways.

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Naraz sharif

Nov 02, 2017 03:29am

Here Pakistan go.

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Fiz

Nov 02, 2017 04:08am

Congratulations. Thank you to everyone who contributed in achieving the fete, from Najam Sethi to Mickey Arthur including all the brilliant young players. Well played!

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Pakman

Nov 02, 2017 04:39am

Well done Pakistan

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Pakistani in Japan

Nov 02, 2017 05:09am

Congratulations Team Green

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RIZ

Nov 02, 2017 05:20am

Pakistan will be on top in all format in coming years ....... stop if you can ....... Congrats Pakistan

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Sab se pehle pakistan

Nov 02, 2017 06:27am

Weldone Pakistan Team. Exceptional captaincy by Sarfaraz Ahmed. The nation is proud of you all.

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Waseem Chaudhry

Nov 02, 2017 06:28am

Keep up the good work , Congratulations

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Dr Mohommed Iqbal Rojander

Nov 02, 2017 06:34am

last year pakistan reached no 1 spot in test ranking today its stands at no 10, .

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Abbas kd

Nov 02, 2017 06:41am

Wow .. So amazing achievement, despite having very little sports training facilities in Pakistan as compared to the developed Western countries. Our so talented young players have defeated western countries in their own game just by playing & practicing on the streets. Great job, Congratulation to every one.

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Sensible

Nov 02, 2017 07:55am

OMG! Thanks

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South Asian

Nov 02, 2017 08:09am

Congratulations Pakistan team & fans n btw is ICC hints that PCB should send thanks message to BCCI for the help

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krishnarayan

Nov 02, 2017 08:17am

Nothing to celebrate. New Zealand defeated fetched Pak top spot

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JACKJONES

Nov 02, 2017 08:32am

Well done Safraz and team! PAKISTAN ROCKS!!

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Mighty Mo

Nov 02, 2017 08:38am

Great news.

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Younus Khan

Nov 02, 2017 08:53am

Well Done Sarfaraz

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Khurshid Ahmed Yousfani

Nov 02, 2017 09:08am

congrats pakistan

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Nadeem

Nov 02, 2017 09:10am

Weldone green

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XYZ

Nov 02, 2017 09:26am

U r welcome ;-)

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farhan

Nov 02, 2017 09:48am

Congrats Pakistan

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Vishal

Nov 02, 2017 10:07am

You're welcome :)

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Mahen

Nov 02, 2017 10:36am

Pakistan,s road to number 1 ranking it T20 Format- Here is how they got to the top-: 2014 Beat AFGHANISTAN 1-0 (Home) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (Home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (away) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (AWAY) 2016 Beat West INDIES 3-0 (home) 2017 Beat West INDIES 3-1 (Away) 2017 Beat Sri LANKA 3-0 (Home) Fantastic Record! Congratulations!

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Mahen

Nov 02, 2017 10:40am

What a GREAT record to reach to the top. Pakistan,s road to number 1 ranking it T20 Format- Here is how they got to the top-: 2014 Beat AFGHANISTAN 1-0 (Home) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (Home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (away) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (AWAY) 2016 Beat West INDIES 3-0 (home) 2017 Beat West INDIES 3-1 (Away) 2017 Beat Sri LANKA 3-0 (Home) No team will match this record for the next 20 years! Cograts again

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arnold

Nov 02, 2017 10:41am

Congratulation to Pakistan........

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A Pakistani

Nov 02, 2017 10:52am

Alhamdulillah, well done boys in green. Now work hard to stay there.

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Yasir Mughal

Nov 02, 2017 10:55am

Congratulations team Pakistan love you

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Yasir Mughal

Nov 02, 2017 10:57am

Congratulations team Pakistan love you

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Sane

Nov 02, 2017 11:02am

I don't think it is the first time Pakistan reached the top spot in T20.

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Hadi

Nov 02, 2017 11:42am

Yaay! CT Champions, No 1 in T20Is....... we are back!

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Mahen

Nov 02, 2017 12:24pm

@Hadi Yaay! CT Champions, No 1 in T20Is......Pakistan are back! This is how they did it- 2014 Beat AFGHANISTAN 1-0 (Home) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (Home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (away) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (AWAY) 2016 Beat West INDIES 3-0 (home) 2017 Beat West INDIES 3-1 (Away) 2017 Beat Sri LANKA 3-0 (Home Congratulations!!!

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stan

Nov 02, 2017 12:25pm

this rating system in Cricket is virtually Nonsense...if there is no uniformity in the schedules of any playing country how can somebody rate them....imagine South Africa and Australia at no. 6 & 7...

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Sarai alamgir

Nov 02, 2017 12:40pm

@krishnarayan Pak didnt become top team just because NZ lost one match, they have been the most consistant T20 team for over a year. They belong at the top, by the way, they have won outside of asia, unlike....

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KUNAL MAJUMDAR, GURGAON

Nov 02, 2017 12:59pm

Great things happen by default.

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dean

Nov 02, 2017 02:31pm

Congratulations who needs the IPL !!!! this proves the PSL has been a massive success!!!

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point of view

Nov 02, 2017 05:33pm

@Sarai alamgir, @Hadi Yaay! CT Champions, No 1 in T20Is......Pakistan are back! This is how they did it- 2014 Beat AFGHANISTAN 1-0 (Home) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (Home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (home) 2015 Beat Sri LANKA 2-0 (away) 2015 Beat ZIMBABWE 2-0 (AWAY) 2016 Beat West INDIES 3-0 (home) 2017 Beat West INDIES 3-1 (Away) 2017 Beat Sri LANKA 3-0, this is your consistency.

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Pakistani71

Nov 02, 2017 10:51pm

Congratulations to Team Pakistan...Pakistan Zindabaad!!!

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Mahen

Nov 03, 2017 04:06am

@dean Yeah Right!!!!!!

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Hasan

Nov 03, 2017 02:28pm

Congratulations green shirts, the nation is proud of you. To be honest, although this is wonderful news, the real enjoyment is in the reactions from all the hindustanis having nosebleeds here. (: Hasan

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Hasan

Nov 03, 2017 05:10pm

@South Asian "Congratulations Pakistan team & fans n btw is ICC hints that PCB should send thanks message to BCCI for the help" Good point - we should thank the BCCI for confirming to the world how irrelevant it is in international cricket, which is how Pakistan managed to achieve such success. Thanks for the reminder. Hasan

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Shuban khushu

Nov 03, 2017 05:48pm

Congrats to Pak cricket team on being no.1 in twenty20 ICC ranking.

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Zaman

Nov 03, 2017 05:59pm

@Mahen how about victory against England in England last year. It was a mauling.

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Zaman

Nov 03, 2017 06:00pm

Pakistan’s ascent has been due to the PSL which has unleashed and given confidence to domestic talent

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bangalore.citizen

Nov 03, 2017 08:07pm

In the Cricketing world, Test Cricket requires the high level of fitness, consistency and skills, followed by ODI, followed by T20. Pakistan's Test rank is 7th, ODI rank is 6th and T20 rank is 1. That explains the kind of team they are! They are better than only West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in terms of fitness, consistency and skills.

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Aahmad

Nov 03, 2017 10:57pm

@bangalore.citizen Well, yes Pakistan's current ranking is 7 in tests, but they were No. 1 last year. This team is in rebuilding process. therefore, hold on and have some patience. They will go up the ladder very soon.

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ILYAS

Nov 03, 2017 11:16pm

Well Done! Pakistan.. We want to see our team on number one spot in one day international ranking also.

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Farah (New York, USA)

Nov 04, 2017 01:19am

Congratulations guys!!! Awesome work, you made Pakistan proud today.

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Jawad

Nov 04, 2017 09:42am

At least some reason for joy