ICC T20I Rankings: Esterhuizen, Pretorius Make Big Strides After Tri-Series Heroics

South Africa’s rising stars Connor Esterhuizen and Lhuan-dre Pretorius made significant gains in the latest ICC Men’s T20I rankings after impressive performances in the tri-series against Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Esterhuizen was the biggest mover among the batters, climbing 65 places to 25th in the latest T20I batting rankings.

The 25-year-old right-handed opener scored 126 runs in five innings during the tri-series. His standout performance came in the final group-stage match against Namibia, where he smashed 88, giving his ranking a major boost.

Pretorius also enjoyed a substantial rise. The 20-year-old South African batter jumped 61 places to joint 43rd after scoring 226 runs in just four innings.

Namibia also had two batters make notable progress despite missing out on a place in the tri-series final. Captain Gerhard Erasmus moved up 16 places to 55th, while opener Louren Steenkamp climbed 32 spots to joint 73rd.

In the T20I bowling rankings, Zimbabwe pacer Brad Evans was among the biggest gainers. The right-arm quick rose four places to joint 22nd after taking 10 wickets in the series at an average of 15.80.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza also climbed two places to 27th in the bowling rankings.

South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka moved up 16 places to joint 38th, while Bjorn Fortuin made a significant 37-place jump to joint 78th.

Erasmus also gained ground in the T20I all-rounders’ rankings, climbing four places to eighth. He achieved a new career-high rating after scoring 149 runs and taking five wickets during the home tri-series.

The latest rankings highlight the impact of the tri-series, with several players from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe turning strong tournament performances into significant gains on the international stage.