Pakistan aim to reduce gap with number-one ranked Sri Lanka

Pakistan begins its two-match Twenty20 International series against host Zimbabwe on August 23 (Friday) with an aim to reduce the gap with number-one ranked Sri Lanka on the Reliance ICC T20I Rankings Table.

The two-match series starts in Harare on 23 August, with the second match scheduled to be held on August 24.

Currently ranked second with 124 ratings points, Mohammad Hafeez’s side can gain one ratings point if it wins both the matches, to finish with 125 ratings points and thereby reduce the gap with number-one ranked Sri Lanka (128) to three.

Zimbabwe too has an opportunity to move up, and will jump one place to 11^th if it wins both matches in the series. Zimbabwe is currently ranked 12^th with 48 ratings points, and can gain up to 16 ratings points to move into 11^th with 64 ratings points.

All eyes on Hafeez

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez will start the series with an all-round presence on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20Is.

Hafeez is currently ranked second on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I All-rounders with a career-high 432 ratings points, and is also fourth in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I Bowlers and 17^th in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I Batsmen.

In the bowling table, Saeed Ajmal in second and Shahid Afridi in 11^th are the other Pakistan players inside the top 20 who will be seen in action during the two-match series.

For Zimbabwe, spinner Prosper Utseya is the only bowler inside the top 10, in ninth position.

The bowlers’ list is still headed by West Indies’ Sunil Narine, with Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis in third.

In the batting table, Hamilton Masakadza is the highest ranked batsman from Zimbabwe, currently placed at 14^th.

The Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I Batsmen is still headed by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, followed by England’s Alex Hales in second place and Australia’s Shane Watson in third spot.

Upcoming Fixtures

Zimbabwe v Pakistan

Aug 23: 1^st T20I, Harare

Aug 24: 2^nd T20I, Harare

Reliance ICC T20I Rankings (as of 21 August, before Zimbabwe-Pakistan T20I series)

Rank   Team   Rating

1          Sri Lanka         128

2          Pakistan           124

3          India     121

4          West Indies      120

5          South Africa     118

6          England            113

7          Australia           103

8          New Zealand    102

9          Ireland  81

10        Bangladesh       74

11        Scotland           62

12        Zimbabwe        48

13        Netherlands      36

14        Kenya  34