Mitchell Starc returns to the top of the ICC Test Bowlers ranking, Shreyas Iyer improves in T20

Abhishek Sharma demonstrated incredible batting aggression, which allowed him to climb to the top of the ICC T20 International world rankings. He achieved this after playing an explosive innings of 113 runs off 38 balls in the third T20 match against New Zealand.

In the match held in Wellington, Abhishek Sharma completely dominated the bowling, dealing a serious blow to the New Zealand bowlers. His performance was marked by a high number of fours and sixes, making the Indian team's game one-sided. During this game, he completed a century off just 35 balls.

This impressive performance was reflected in the latest ICC rankings. Previously, Ishan Kishan held the number one spot in the T20 International batsmen rankings due to his strong performance against Ireland in July. Abhishek became the world's best T20 batsman for the first time in July 2025, surpassing Travis Head of Australia.

According to the latest ICC Men's T20 International Batting Rankings, Abhishek Sharma is ranked first with 897 rating points. Ishan Kishan is in third place with 866 points, and Sahibzada Farhan of Pakistan is second with 883 points, trailing the leader by only 14 points. Previously, Abhishek held the second position, and Ishan held the first.

Abhishek Sharma has secured the top spot in the ICC Men's T20 International Batting Rankings. Previously, the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan occupied the summit. Now, Abhishek has overtaken him, marking another significant victory for the Indian team. Although Ishan Kishan could not participate in the second and third matches of the series against New Zealand due to injury, Abhishek's ascent to the top is not solely attributable to Ishan's absence. His innings of 113 runs off 38 balls in the third T20 match gave this achievement particular weight. He started the game aggressively and did not allow the New Zealand bowlers any chance to stabilize.

Abhishek Sharma's style of play in Wellington once again showcased his strength in T20 cricket. When he stepped onto the field, his intentions were clear. He scored runs quickly and was not afraid to hit powerful shots. By scoring 113 runs in just 38 balls, he imparted such pace to the Indian team that the New Zealand side came under pressure. This innings was particularly important as it constantly demonstrates his ability to change the course of a match in a short time in T20 cricket. He shows potential not only for aggressive play in the powerplay but also for the ability to build a high score. It was his performance in the third match against New Zealand that eased India's path to victory.

Recently, Abhishek Sharma has been among the most aggressive batsmen in the Indian T20 squad. His playing style differs from traditional innings construction; it is aimed at putting pressure on opponents from the very beginning. This is why he possesses the ability to score a large number of runs in a small number of balls.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc made a splash on the first day of the third Test match against South Africa. At Newlands in Cape Town, Starc took 6 wickets while conceding only 72 runs.

This outstanding performance allowed him to break the 24-year record set by the great Australian spinner Shane Warne. Despite a good start, the South African team was eventually brought to a total of 329 runs in the first innings.

The third match of the three-match Test series between Australia and South Africa is taking place in Cape Town, starting on October 27th. Australian captain Pat Cummins decided to begin the game with a toss, opting for the first ball.

The start of the game was impressive for the South African batsmen: Aiden Markram and Marcus Ekerman demonstrated excellent play, building a partnership of 158 runs. Ekerman scored 95 runs, and Markram scored 78 runs. However, after these two players came out, the South African batsmen could not hold their ground for long.

Mitchell Starc used his fast and swinging bowling to create problems for the South African batsmen. He changed the course of the match by taking 4 wickets in the last six overs. Starc was responsible for the dismissals of David Bellingham, Vian Mulder, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Gerhard Coetzee, and Kagiso Rabada. When South Africa's score was 327 for 6 wickets, Starc's onslaught led to the entire team being dismissed for a total of 329 runs.

In this match, Starc set another significant record: he became the fastest bowler in Australia to achieve the best bowling performance in one innings at Newlands in Cape Town. This record previously belonged to the great spinner Shane Warne, who took 6 wickets for 161 runs at the same venue in 2002. Starc surpassed this figure by taking 6 wickets for only 72 runs. Furthermore, Starc reached his twentieth career milestone by taking five or more wickets in a single Test innings.

Currently, the series between Australia and South Africa is tied at 1-1. In the first Test, Australia won by 214 runs, while in the second Test, South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs. Therefore, the third Test is of immense importance to both teams.

The fast Australian team achieved a historic feat: Mitchell Starc took 450 wickets in Test matches against South Africa. With this, he became the first left-arm bowler in the world to reach this milestone.

This significant milestone was reached on the third day of the match, which is being played at the Stuut-George Park in Gqeberha against South Africa. Starc secured his 450th wicket by dismissing Wayne Mulder, who was caught by Matt Renshaw.

It is particularly noteworthy that Starc broke the record of the great Australian bowler Glenn McGrath for the number of balls bowled. McGrath took his 450 wickets by bowling 23,474 deliveries, whereas Starc achieved this fantastic figure in only 20,577 deliveries.

Although McGrath reached this result in 100 matches, Starc achieved this benchmark in his 109th Test match. Overall, the record for the fastest accumulation of 450 Test wickets belongs to Mutiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, who achieved it in his 80th match.

Furthermore, after Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc became the fourth bowler in Australian history to take 450 or more Test wickets. His outstanding performance proved crucial for the Kangaroos team.

In the list of left-arm bowlers, Starc holds leading positions:

• Mitchell Starc: 450* wickets (109 matches)
• Rangana Herath: 433 wickets (93 matches)
• Wasim Akram: 414 wickets (104 matches)
• Daniel Vitori: 362 wickets (113 matches)
• Ravindra Jadeja: 556 wickets (91 matches)