Why 'ICC' Is Trending in India: Kishan Stays No.1, Abhishek Second in Latest T20I Rankings

The term 'icc' trended in India around 16 September 2026 after the International Cricket Council released its latest player rankings, which rewarded India's strong start to their T20I series against Afghanistan in Delhi. Google Trends recorded roughly 50,000 searches for 'icc' in India over 24 hours from 15 September, with about 200% growth, alongside related queries such as 'ishan kishan' and 'आईसीसी'. The rankings update itself was published on 16 September 2026, and the positions below reflect that release.

What the ICC T20I rankings update shows

The headline for Indian fans is a 1-2 at the top of the T20I batting chart. Ishan Kishan retained the No.1 spot, while Abhishek Sharma climbed one place to second after his 82 in the series opener, overtaking Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan. The two Indian teammates are separated by 51 rating points, according to the Times of India.

Sanju Samson also moved up, climbing four places to 30th among T20I batters after a half-century in the second match against Afghanistan.

Bumrah back in the bowling top 10

India's bowlers gained across the board in the same update:

• Jasprit Bumrah rose seven places to 10th, re-entering the T20I bowling top 10.
• Varun Chakravarthy moved up two spots to fifth.
• Arshdeep Singh jumped 11 places to 14th.
• Axar Patel climbed six places to 27th.

The gains came as India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Delhi, per IANS via AP7AM. Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai also progressed in the T20I all-rounder rankings after an unbeaten half-century in the opener.

Other changes in the same release

The 16 September update covered all three formats. In ODIs, Australia's Nathan Ellis rose 20 places to 20th among bowlers after a five-wicket haul in a 59-run win over Zimbabwe in Harare, while Matthew Renshaw jumped from outside the top 100 to 68th among batters after a Player-of-the-Match 109. In Tests, England's Ollie Robinson reached a career-high third among bowlers after taking 21 wickets in the home series against Pakistan, and Pakistan's Babar Azam moved up two places to 13th among Test batters despite a 3-0 series defeat.

What Indian readers should keep in mind

These positions are a snapshot of the 16 September 2026 release. ICC rankings update after every round of international matches, so the third India-Afghanistan T20I — played after this release — and any later updates between 16 and 20 September could shift the numbers. For the current standings, check the official ICC rankings page. Note also that Google Trends data confirms search interest only; it does not by itself verify any news claim, and its search counts are approximate.