Mitchell Santner claimed 4 for 31 in the second T20I against Australia © AFP
New Zealand’s Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner have moved up to No. 6 and No. 7 in the T20I bowling rankings after their performances in the first two T20Is against Australia.
Southee produced impressive figures of 3-0-10-2 in the first T20I to help New Zealand restrict Australia to 131 in a chase of 185, and Santner claimed 4 for 31 in the second match – a game in which Australia almost scripted a heist, going from 113 for 6 in 13 overs to 215 for 8, ending five runs short of their target.
There were no other changes in the top ten in the latest rankings, but a number of others made gains outside the elite group of performers. Devon Conway was the biggest gainer, climbing 46 spots to No. 17 in the batting rankings after his unbeaten 99 in the first T20I. Martin Guptill, who made 97 off 50 in the second game, moved up three spots to No. 11.
Australia’s big-hitting allrounder Marcus Stoinis also made a big leap on the table after smacking 78 off 37 in the second game to almost snatch it from New Zealand’s grasp, but remained outside the top 100 – he moved up 77 places to 110.
The rankings were released before Australia’s big win in the third T20I on Wednesday, which kept the five-match series alive. The final two matches will be played in Wellington over the weekend.
Click here for the full ICC rankings.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo