Finch crowned No.1 T20 batsman

Aaron Finch has jumped to the top of the International Cricket Council’s T20I batting rankings, capping off what was a brilliant tri-series with the bat for the Australian captain.

Finch climbed from fourth to the top spot in the batting charts after scoring 306 runs at 76.50, with an incredible strike rate of 201.31, across the week-long tri-series.

His series included knocks of 68no, 172, 16, 3 and 47, with his efforts in Australia’s second match of the tournament, against Zimbabwe, breaking his own world record for highest score in a T20 International. 

That innings saw Finch become the first player to reach 900 rankings points in T20Is. He finished the series on 891.  

Sent in to bat by Zimbabwe in that match, opener Finch unleashed on the depleted hosts, racing to a half-century from 22 deliveries before bringing up his second T20I century from 50 balls.

Zimbabwe had no answers for the powerful right-hander, who struck a maximum in the 19th over to better his previous mark of 156, scored against England in 2013.

That knock continued what's been an outstanding year in T20s already for the 31-year-old, who has carved out 464 runs at an average of 92.8 in 2018 so far.

Finch had only been dismissed once in 2018 heading into the tri-series, having notched scores of 20no, 36no, 18no and 84 against New Zealand and England.

Langer spoke in glowing terms of Finch, who was the leading run-scorer of the tri-series.

"I think he’s done a great job (at the) top of the order, to have someone that dynamic is a great example to all of our players," Langer said.

"Like we saw with Pakistan today, you’ve got to play fearless cricket."

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman was also rewarded for a brilliant series with the bat, climbing into second spot behind Finch, while Australia opener D'Arcy Short has also entered the top 10.

Fakhar, who propelled his team to victory over Finch's Australians in Sunday's final with 91, scored 278 runs at 55.60 throughout the series.

Short now sits at No.10, after scoring 165 runs at 41.25 in the tri-series, including his explosive 75 off 53 in Sunday's final.

There were no changes at the top of the bowling or allrounder charts, topped by Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and Australia's Glenn Maxwell respectively.

ICC T20 batting rankings

1. Aaron Finch (Australia) - 891 points
2. Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) - 842
3. KL Rahul (India) - 812
4. Colin Munro (New Zealand) - 801
5. Babar Azam (Pakistan) - 765
6. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) - 761
7. Evin Lewis (West Indies) - 653
8. Martin Guptill (New Zealand) - 747
9. Alex Hales (England) - 710
10. D'Arcy Short (Australia) - 690

ICC T20 bowling rankings

1. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) - 813 points
2. Shadab Khan (Pakistan) - 723
3. Ish Sodhi (New Zealand) - 700
4. Y. Chadal (India) - 685
5. Samuel Badree (West Indies) - 674
6. Mitchell Santner (New Zealand) - 665
7. Andrew Tye (Australia) - 658
8. Imran Tahir (South Africa) - 650
9. Adil Rashid (England) - 639
10. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) - 638

ICC T20 allrounder rankings

1. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) - 366 points
2. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) - 321
3. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) - 279
4. JP Duminy (South Africa) - 235
5. Marlon Samuels (West Indies) - 230

ICC T20 team rankings

1. Pakistan - 132 points
2. India - 124 
3. Australia - 122
4. England - 177
5. New Zealand - 116
6. South Africa - 114
7. West Indies - 114
8. Afghanistan - 91
9. Sri Lanka - 85
10. Bangladesh - 70