- Shaheen Shah Afridi claims No. 1 ranking for ODI bowlers, displacing Josh Hazlewood.
- Afridi’s rapid rise fueled by remarkable performance and a three-wicket haul against Bangladesh.
- Pakistan’s dominance with Babar Azam at the top of batting rankings and Afridi leading the bowling charts.
In a stunning turn of events, Shaheen Shah Afridi, the talented Pakistani fast bowler, has ascended seven spots in the latest ICC rankings to claim the coveted No. 1 ranking for ODI bowlers. This remarkable rise to the top was triggered by his outstanding performance in the ongoing ODI World Cup, where he currently shares the position of the leading wicket-taker with Adam Zampa, boasting an impressive tally of 16 wickets in seven matches at a remarkable average of 19.93.
Afridi’s exceptional feat has propelled him to the pinnacle of the ODI bowlers’ ranking, dislodging Australia’s Josh Hazlewood from the No. 1 position, who has now slipped to second place. The highly-regarded Mohammed Siraj and Keshav Maharaj have also experienced a minor drop in rankings, with them moving to third and fourth positions, respectively. This achievement marks the first time in his career that Afridi has clinched the No. 1 ranking in any format.
Afridi’s remarkable journey to the summit was marked by a stellar performance against Bangladesh, where he secured a remarkable three-wicket haul, conceding just 21 runs in his nine overs. During this game, he also celebrated a significant milestone by reaching 100 wickets in ODIs, accomplishing this feat in a mere 51 innings. This makes him the third-fastest bowler in history to achieve this milestone, with the distinction of being the quickest fast bowler to do so, narrowly surpassing Mitchell Starc.
With Babar Azam maintaining his grip on the top spot in the batting rankings, Pakistan now boasts two players at the pinnacle of both batting and bowling formats. However, Babar’s position is by a narrow margin, with a mere two rating points separating him from the chasing pack.
He has contributed 216 runs in seven innings, averaging 30.85, featuring three half-centuries. Shubman Gill, a rising talent, is hot on his heels, while the experienced Rohit Sharma has risen three spots to break into the top five in the rankings. David Warner, currently second in the list of run-getters, has also made a move upwards, occupying the fourth spot.
In the bowling department, Kuldeep Yadav and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have secured the seventh and eighth positions, respectively, in the rankings chart. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh continues to dominate the allrounders list, underscoring his exceptional abilities in both batting and bowling.
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