Pakistan opener Saim Ayub has been rewarded for his excellent recent form by regaining top spot on the ICC Men’s T20I All-Rounder Rankings.

Ayub moves back to the top on the back of some excellent showings for Pakistan during their 3-0 series whitewash over Australia on home soil, with the 23-year-old replacing Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza in the top spot, the ICC said in a statement.

It bodes well for Ayub and Pakistan just days out from the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as the Asian side look to claim their second title in the 20-over showcase event and their first since they tasted success in the second edition of the tournament back in 2009.

Ayub scored 119 runs and collected three wickets across the series against Australia, and he wasn’t the only player from Pakistan to put together some good performances and be rewarded in the rankings this week, prior to the start of the T20 World Cup on February 7.

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed gains two places to move to second on the list for T20I bowlers, with the right-armer now just 28 rating points behind No. 1-ranked Varun Chakravarthy of India following six wickets across three matches against the Aussies.

Fellow Pakistan spinner Mohammad Nawaz also makes gains on the updated rankings for T20I bowlers, with the lefty improving eight spots to seventh overall following a five-wicket haul in the final game of the series against Australia.

Nawaz also moves up one place to fourth overall on the list for T20I all-rounders, with Pakistan teammates Ayub (up eight rungs to equal 27th) and skipper Salman Ali Agha (up 12 spots to 29th) the big eye-catchers on the latest rankings for T20I batters.