On May 26, the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came to an end, as Kolkata Knight Riders lifted their third title after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a one-sided final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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Even after ten weeks of gruelling action, the cricket will not stop as the ninth edition of the Men's T20 World Cup is set to get underway in the USA and West Indies on June 1. Twenty teams will be fighting it out for the right to lift the coveted ICC trophy on June 29. This year's tournament marks the first time that the USA will be hosting a major ICC event.
Which team is No 1 in ICC T20 Rankings ahead of the T20 World Cup?
The favourites for the tournament include some of the top-ranked teams in the world; the likes of India, Australia, England, West Indies and South Africa. In the latest ICC rankings, updated earlier this week, India are the top T20I team in the world, with Australia and England second and third respectively.
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West Indies moved up two places to fourth, while Pakistan moved up one to sixth. South Africa suffered a heavy drop, from fourth to seventh after their series loss to West Indies in the Caribbean. USA also gained one spot, going to 18th after they defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in their latest series.
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As far as player rankings are concerned, India's Suryakumar Yadav remains the No.1 batter in the world. West Indies' Brandon King rose five places to eighth, and Johnson Charles leapt from 37th to 20th. England leg-spinner Adil Rashid retained the No.1 bowling ranking, and Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga edged out Shakib Al Hasan at the top of the all-rounder rankings.
| Rank | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 264 |
| 2 | Australia | 257 |
| 3 | England | 254 |
| 4 | West Indies | 252 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 250 |
Who is the No 1 T20 batsman in the world ahead of the T20 World Cup?
India's Suryakumar Yadav tops the charts. Though out for a few weeks due to an ankle injury, SKY announced his comeback to big-ticket cricket during the Indian Premier League 2024 while playing for Mumbai Indians.
| Rank | Player | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 861 |
| 2 | Phil Salt (ENG) | 788 |
| 3 | Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 769 |
| 4 | Babar Azam (PAK) | 761 |
| 5 | Aiden Markram (SA) | 733 |
Who is the No 1 T20 bowler in the world ahead of the T20 World Cup?
While England's Adil Rashid tops the bowling charts, two Indians, Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi are among the top-5 T20 bowlers in the world currently. Patel is part of India's T20 World Cup squad.
| Rank | Player | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adil Rashid (ENG) | 722 |
| 2 | Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | 687 |
| 3 | Axar Patel (IND) | 660 |
| 4 | Maheesh Theekshana (SL) | 659 |
| =4 | Ravi Bishnoi (IND) | 659 |
Who is the No 1 T20 player in the world ahead of the T20 World Cup?
| Rank | Player | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | 228 |
| 2 | Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 223 |
| 3 | Mohammad Nabi (AFG) | 218 |
| 4 | Sikandar Raza (ZIM) | 210 |
| 5 | Marcus Stoinis (AUS) | 204 |