Pakistan has an opportunity to climb up to the second place in the ICC T20I Rankings table if it wins both the matches against defending World T20 Champions West Indies in a two-match series, starting on July 27 in Kingstown, St Vincent.
Fourth-ranked Pakistan is currently on 118 ratings points, but could potentially move up to second place with 124 ratings points, thereby swapping places with second-placed West Indies with 120 ratings points.
On the other hand, if West Indies wins both the matches it could gain five ratings points to finish at 132, reducing the gap with number-one ranked Sri Lanka to just two ratings points.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has retained its position as the number-one ranked Twenty20 International (T20I) side after the annual update of the ICC T20I Rankings Table was announced on Thursday.
At the June ICC Board meeting during the Annual Conference week in London, the ICC Board agreed to change the T20I rankings period from three years to four years.
Reward for Misbah
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haqs starring effort with the bat against the West Indies earned him a move up one place to a career-best ranking of seventh in the latest ICC ODI Player Rankings for Batsmen.
The latest rankings were released on Thursday, a day after Pakistan beat West Indies by four wickets at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia to win the series 3-1.
Misbah, who was the highest run-getter on either side with 260 runs from five matches, was also the recipient of the player of the series award. Misbahs rescue acts throughout the series meant that he ended with a career-best rating of 712 and also a Caribbean Premier League contract with St. Lucia Zouks.
The other Pakistan batsman to make a move in the positive direction was Umar Akmal, who is now back in the top 20 after jumping 10 places to 13th. Umar, who made a comeback to the squad after being dropped for the Champions Trophy earlier this year, mixed flair with great composure to score 175 runs while batting at the no. 6 position during the West Indies series.
Outside the top 20, the batsmen to move upwards include Nasir Jamshaid in 32nd (up by nine), West Indies Lendl Simmons in 43rd (up by 11), Shahid Afridi in 47th (up by three) and Marlon Samuels in 54th (up by 19).
The batting table is now headed by South Africa's Hashim Amla, who moved up a place thereby swapping positions with his captain AB de Villiers. India's Virat Kohli continues to be in third place.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's bowling duo of Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Irfan moved into the top 30 of the Reliance ICC ODI Player Rankings for Bowlers.
Afridi, who was the highest wicket-taker on either side with 10 wickets, moved up nine places to 28th. Irfan sky-rocketed 40 places to finish at 30th with a career-best rating of 578.
Yet another Pakistan left-arm pace bowler, Junaid Khan, moved up 13 places to be placed 32nd.
The bowlers table continues to be headed by West Indies Sunil Narine, with the England pair of Steven Finn and James Anderson in second and third places respectively.
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