India's explosive left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma has taken back the No. 1 position in the ICC Men's T20I batting rankings after the wonderful century in Wellington. His performances in the third T20 International not only helped India win the match but also put him back at the top of the world rankings.
On the other hand, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer has fallen to ninth place after a bad run with the bat. Ishan Kishan, who was the top spot earlier in the rankings, is now third in the latest rankings released on October 28, 2026.
Abhishek had an amazing innings in the third T20I against New Zealand on Tuesday, October 27, scoring 113 runs in 38 deliveries. He reached his century in 35 balls, which is an incredible feat for him to defy a bowling attack in the shortest format. He scored nine fours and 11 sixes, at a strike rate of 298.
Such a fast approach from the left-handed batsman put New Zealand under pressure and made India chase down a target of 199 in 13.2 overs and eventually won by six wickets.
The win also gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series and underlined the team’s dominance in the game. Abhishek was supported by teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made 45 runs in 19 balls.
India could have been easily on course for a comfortable win in the opening match when both the opening pair gave it the start. Their strong partnership showed the depth of India’s batting power and the young players’ confidence.
Abhishek had made 29 and 27 in the first two matches before he tasted his spectacular century in Wellington and turned a promising series into a big personal achievement.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨.𝟏 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 💪 Abhishek Sharma returns to the summit of ICC Men's T20I Batting Rankings after a sensational century against New Zealand 🤩 Read more ➡️ https://t.co/nwWCLiixZn https://t.co/w7B4g5QD2c
— ICC (@ICC) October 28, 2026
Abhishek will now be ranked at the top of the ICC rankings for the third time in his career. He was No. 1 from July 2025 until Ishan Kishan took it in July 2026. Kishan’s performances over the course of India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign helped him achieve this.
But Abhishek’s latest century has changed the rankings once more and highlighted how individual performances can determine the intensity of the world’s top T20 batters. In the latest list, Abhishek is the top with 897 rating points.
Sahibzada Farhan has moved to second place with 883 points, while Kishan has moved to third place with 866 points. Kishan missed the second and third T20Is against New Zealand due to injury.
Abhishek’s absence from the team was one of the factors that gave him the chance to make a huge impact on the rankings as he performed so well. Despite losing the top position, Kishan is one of the most influential international T20I batters and his position in the rankings may change again as the performance of the team improves.
While Abhishek is celebrating his return to the top, Shreyas Iyer is in a different position. The Indian captain is now ninth after losing ground in the latest ranking update. His position has been affected by the tough run of scores in the New Zealand series.
Iyer had enjoyed a solid run of performances prior to the match, finishing his first T20I century against the West Indies in Lucknow last month. His 102 off 43 balls in that game had not only helped him make his way up in the rankings but also establish himself among the top batters in the format.
But for all the success that he has had across the domestic game, Iyer has not been able to reproduce that form against New Zealand. After scoring 42 in the opening T20I, he only managed seven runs in the second match and five runs off 10 balls in the third.
His latest dismissal against New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was just the latest one in a poor run of scores in the match and has not helped his ranking. It is the kind of pressure international batters face to stay consistent in T20 cricket when a few low scores can make a huge difference to the public's view and the ranking.
And although India’s chase ensured his struggles did not prevent the team from winning, Iyer will be anxious to regain his rhythm in the remaining matches.
The latest rankings also show how competitive the international T20 game is. England’s Harry Brook is fourth with 793 points while Jos Buttler and South Africa’s Dewald Brevis are fifth with 789 points each.
West Indies batsman Shai Hope is eighth, just behind Iyer and India’s Tilak Varma is tenth with 724 points. There are Indian players among the top 10, which is evidence of the country’s ability to possess good depth of batsmen in the format.
With two more games left in the New Zealand series, India's batters will have more chances to improve their positions. The fourth T20I will take place in Auckland on Friday, and the final match in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
Abhishek will look to build on his amazing century, while Iyer will aim to rediscover the form that has taken him up to the top places. Indian cricket fans celebrate and wait for the next update: Abhishek is back at No. 1, Kishan is still a big favourite and Iyer has an opportunity to come up with the bat.
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