Players react positively to T20 rankings

October 24, 2011 08:13 GMT

Leading cricketers the world over have thrown their weight behind the ICC's new T20 rankings, with most of them of the opinion that the rankings would act as a greater incentive to perform even better.

Reactions from cricketers:

Stuart Broad: It's great to see the introduction of Twenty20 International team and player rankings in line with the other formats of the game. The England team is delighted to be the number-one ranked international Twenty20 team in world cricket at this time but we're certainly under no illusions that we must continue to work hard and improve if we're to stay on top of the tree.

Tillakaratne Dilshan: It's great news that there are now rankings for Twenty20 cricket and it is very pleasing Sri Lanka is near the top. To be number-one or number-two in the rankings, whatever the format, is always a sign you have been playing well and we have done that in Twenty20 cricket. Having these rankings launched now is exciting because it reminds everyone that there is an ICC World Twenty20 coming up in Sri Lanka and we are really looking forward to that.

AB de Villiers: T20 cricket has grown tremendously over the past few years and the ranking system will definitely give more meaning to one-off matches in a series between countries. We only have six more matches until the ICC World Twenty20 2012 in Sri Lanka next year and each of those matches will be useful preparation for the squad. In saying that, we would also like to improve our current team and player rankings in the build-up to the tournament.

Cameron White: The release of team rankings provide us with a good picture of where our game sits at the moment and how we need to continue improving prior to the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka later next year. With so few games being played internationally, ensuring the team is well prepared and able to play consistently are key elements of a quick rise up the rankings table. A few wins over the summer will see us climb this table quickly and become a force to be reckoned with during the World T20.

Yuvraj Singh: The T20I rankings are a very good idea as these will give a lot of context to T20Is. A rankings system motivates you to raise the bar. If you are in the top 20, your next aim is to break into the top 10, then the top five, and eventually, the top spot. We won the inaugural edition of the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007 but we didn't play particularly well in the next two events in England and the West Indies. The Twenty20 format is unpredictable and fast-paced, and it becomes difficult to get back into the game after committing an error. Our second-round performance is what we will need to think about and improve in next year's ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Mohammad Hafeez: It is not very encouraging to see Pakistan in seventh position, but I guess the seventh position is due to the fact that we haven't won big matches in the past year or so. Nevertheless, I am confident that the current position will motivate us further to perform even better so that we can climb up the ladder. I know for a fact that there is a strong group of Pakistan cricketers who want to see their side as a top ranked team, not only in the shortest but in all three formats of the games.

Test and ODI rankings have cemented their positions and I am sure T20I rankings will soon become an equally popular feature. This initiative will give a lot of context to bilateral matches that at present have no real meaning except that these are part of a series or a build-up to a series.

Darren Sammy: We already have the Test rankings and the ODI rankings so it's quite logical and practical to have T20I rankings as well. T20Is have a huge fan base and have caught on quite well with the crowds. As we have stated before, our aim as a team is to be inside the top five in all formats of the game by 2015. We are looking to build a core of players and build a team which can achieve this goal.

Brendan Taylor: There is always hunger to succeed and get better. As a team, this is definitely one of our goals to improve our rankings, to keep improving and be consistent all the time. We still have a got a long way to go. I think this a good side that is hungry to learn and willing to improve.

Shakib al Hasan: The introduction of the T20I Championship table gives us something to aspire to. I am sure with more games we will be able to challenge the top teams as I believe we have the players who can excel in this format. I look at the ICC rankings as the most reliable recognition for consistency in your performance. With so much T20 being played these days, it was about time we had a table in place for this format. Now it will be much easier to judge who the best T20 players are.