Lewis into ICC T20 top five
WINDIES OPENER Evin Lewis has vaulted 11 places into the top five of the ICC Twenty20 (T20) International batting rankings, following his half-century in the decisive third match in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Saturday.
The left-hander now lies fourth and is now only behind top-ranked Pakistani Babar Azam, New Zealander Colin Munro and Australian Aaron Finch, who lies third.
Lewis smashed 89 as the Windies beat Bangladesh by 50 runs to claim the threematch series 2-1.
The knock was his first of note in a bilateral series since he hammered a half-century against England last year September. He managed just two and one against Bangladesh in the Caribbean earlier this year and had scores of 18 and one in the two opening matches of the just-concluded series.
He missed the tour of India last month for personal reasons.
Lewis is the only active Windies player in the top 50, with veteran Marlon Samuels lying 42nd.
UPWARD STRIDES
The Trinidadian was one of several Windies players making strides in the rankings. Inform opener Shai Hope, who lashed the third-fastest half-century in T20 Internationals in the opening match in Sylhet last week, jumped 82 places to 80th.
Nicholas Pooran, who notched scores of 23 not out, 14 and 29 in the series, jumped 16 places to a career-best 88th.
In the bowling rankings, seamer Keemo Paul has been rewarded with a healthy leap following his career-best five-wicket haul on Saturday.
The 20-year-old climbed 42 places to 30th after finishing the series with seven wickets and was also rewarded for his cameo knocks of 28 and 29 in the opening two matches by climbing 34 places in the batting rankings.
Captain Carlos Brathwaite, meanwhile, who had a modest series with just two wickets, moved up eight spots to 22nd in the bowling rankings.
He is the highest-ranked Windies bowler, overhauling the inactive Samuel Badree in 23rd.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan sits top of the bowling rankings.