DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Jason Holder has leapt 19 spots in the latest International Cricket Council Twenty20 bowlers rankings, though only featuring in a single game so far at the ongoing World Cup here.
The fast bowling all-rounder travelled as part of a four-man reserve group before being drafted into the 15-man squad ahead of the fixture against Bangladesh, following injury to left-arm pacer Obed McCoy.
Holder snatched one for 22 from his four overs as West Indies earned their first win of the tournament with a narrow three-run victory last Friday.
The performance saw the Barbadian, who turns 30 on Friday, move to 50th in the bowling rankings headed by Sri Lanka leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.
Holder is one of four West Indies bowlers in the top 50 with left-arm spinner Fabien Allen – ruled out of the tournament with injury – in at 24th, left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell at 30th and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr ranked 36th.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who West Indies face today in their clutch fixture at the T20 World Cup, has replaced South Africa spinner Tabraiz Shamsi at the top following two successive three-wicket hauls against South Africa and England.
Barbados-born fast-bowling all-rounder, Chris Jordan, has moved into the top ten to ninth after jumping four places. He has taken six wickets in the tournament for unbeaten England, at an economy rate of five and an average of 10-½.
The batting rankings have also been kind to West Indies stroke-maker Nicholas Pooran, the left-hander climbing nine places to 38th, despite garnering 53 runs from three innings at an average of 17 in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
However, his 40 in the last match against Bangladesh in Sharjah was vital in helping West Indies clinch their first win of the tournament in Group 1.
Opener Evin Lewis, the only West Indies batsman to manage a half-century at the showpiece so far, lies 10th in the rankings headed by the irrepressible Pakistan stroke-maker and captain Babar Azam.
Babar has scored 198 runs at an average of 66 with three half-centuries to fire undefeated Pakistan to the top of Group 2.