Vusumuzi Dube
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN cricketer, Ryan Burl’s brilliant exploits against Ireland in the just concluded Twenty20 Internationals have seen him rise to number eight in the International Cricket Council MRF Tyres rankings for all-rounder.
Burl, a leg spin bowler picked up six wickets in three T20Is against Ireland, with best figures of 3/22 in the opening match which Zimbabwe won by three runs. Batting in the middle order, Burl, a left-handed batsman compiled 75 runs, his highest score being an unbeaten 37 off 33 deliveries in the second T20I, a match Ireland won by seven wickets.
The 27-year-old missed the last two T20Is against the Irish after picking up an ankle injury while warming up just before the start of the fourth encounter. Zimbabwe lost the five-match series 3-2.
Another Zimbabwean, Sean Williams, who was not involved in the T20Is against Ireland is now ranked 15th. Williams was at some stage last year the second-best all-rounder in T20Is but has seen little action in the shortest format of the game because of injuries, which saw him miss the home series against Bangladesh. He also missed the second T20I at home against Pakistan because of a hand injury.
Bangladesh veteran, Shakib Al Hasan leads the T20I all rounder rankings, followed by Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan while Richard Berrington of Scotland is third.
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Online Reporter