Adil Rashid tops T20I bowling rankings for first time - after missing out on IPL deal; England leg-spinner leapfrogs Rashid Khan and Ravi Bishnoi in standings after taking seven wickets in first four T20s against West Indies; series decider in Trinidad on Tuesday (8pm UK)
Wednesday 20 December 2023 12:48, UK
England leg-spinner Adil Rashid has risen to the top of the T20 international bowling rankings for the first time - a day after going unsold in the Indian Premier League auction.
Rashid has taken seven wickets across the first four T20s against West Indies at an average of 14.71 and economy rate of 6.43, with the 35-year-old claiming his 100th wicket in the format in his 100th match.
The Yorkshireman, who has leapfrogged fellow spinners Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Ravi Bishnoi of India in the standings, will now be hoping to help England to a series win in Thursday's Trinidad decider.
Rashid was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad after the 2023 IPL season and then not picked up in Dubai this week after setting his base price at two crore (around £200,000).
England opener Phil Salt, who also went unsold at the IPL auction, has risen to 20th on the batting charts after becoming the second player from a full-member nation to score hundreds in successive T20 internationals.
Salt struck an unbeaten 109 from 56 balls on Saturday before smoking 119 from 57 on Tuesday to eclipse the previous best score by an Englishman in T20 internationals, which was the 116 Alex Hales hit against Sri Lanka at the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Jos Buttler is the highest-ranked England batter in T20Is, sitting eighth, one place ahead of Dawid Malan, who was dropped for the West Indies series.
Follow England's series-deciding fifth T20 international against West Indies across skysports.com and the Sky Sports App on Thursday with our live blog. Build-up begins at 7.30pm ahead of the first ball at 8pm in Trinidad.
