ICC T20I Rankings: Erasmus Career High As Namibia And Zimbabwe Climb

Gerhard Erasmus has climbed to eighth in the ICC T20I rankings for all-rounders, a career high for the Namibia captain. The ICC published its updated men's T20I player rankings on Wednesday. Eight players moved on the back of the tri-series in Windhoek, which South Africa won by beating Zimbabwe by 48 runs in the final.

Half the movers come from outside the game's biggest boards. Namibia and Zimbabwe account for four of the eight. Namibia hosted the tournament.

Esterhuizen up 65 places to 25th

Connor Esterhuizen made the largest jump. The South Africa opener rose 65 places to a career-best 25th after 88 runs against Namibia in the league phase and 32 in the final. No other batter in the update moved further. The final was played on Sunday.

Erasmus reaches eighth among all-rounders

Erasmus gained on two lists. He rose 16 places to 55th among batters after an unbeaten 88 against Zimbabwe and 30 against South Africa. The all-rounder move took him four places to eighth, the highest he has been rated.

Louren Steenkamp was the other Namibian to gain. The opener climbed 32 places to joint-73rd after 61 not out against South Africa.

Bowling gains for Evans, Maphaka and Fortuin

Brad Evans took ten wickets across the tri-series and moved four places to joint-22nd. The Zimbabwe all-rounder took them at an average of 15.80, according to the Tribune. Blessing Muzarabani rose two places to 30th.

South Africa's bowlers gained more ground. Kwena Maphaka went up 16 places to joint-38th. Bjorn Fortuin, the left-arm spinner, climbed 37 places to 78th.

Pretorius climbs after missing the final

Lhuan-dre Pretorius rose 61 places to 43rd. He made 94 against Zimbabwe and 101 against Namibia in the league matches. He then missed the final with a groin injury, according to the ICC.

The movers in full:

• Connor Esterhuizen, South Africa: up 65 to 25th (batting)
• Lhuan-dre Pretorius, South Africa: up 61 to 43rd (batting)
• Bjorn Fortuin, South Africa: up 37 to 78th (bowling)
• Louren Steenkamp, Namibia: up 32 to joint-73rd (batting)
• Kwena Maphaka, South Africa: up 16 to joint-38th (bowling)
• Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia: up 16 to 55th (batting), up 4 to 8th (all-rounder)
• Brad Evans, Zimbabwe: up 4 to joint-22nd (bowling)
• Blessing Muzarabani, Zimbabwe: up 2 to 30th (bowling)

Ranking points follow fixtures. A board that hosts a tri-series gives its players several innings to be measured on. Namibia's two gains came from a tournament staged on their own ground.

Namibia have two players ranked higher than they were a week ago. Zimbabwe have two. Erasmus is the only one of the four inside a top ten.