Shaheen Shah Afridi has returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Bowler Rankings after a stellar performance in Pakistan’s recent series against Australia. Afridi’s eight-wicket haul at an average of just 12.62 in the three-match series propelled him past India’s Kuldeep Yadav, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj to reclaim the No. 1 position.
Afridi, who previously held the top spot during the 2023 ODI World Cup, continued to showcase his deadly seam bowling, particularly in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide, where he took the crucial wickets of both openers. His remarkable performance in the series solidified his position as one of the world’s premier fast bowlers, while Haris Rauf’s 10-wicket haul in the same series earned him a career-high No. 13 spot. Rauf’s efforts were also recognized with the Player of the Series award.
Pakistan’s dominance in the ODI rankings is further emphasized by Babar Azam’s continued lead at the top of the ODI batting charts. Babar, who scored 37, 15, and 28 in the series against Australia, has extended his lead ahead of India’s Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, who remain in second, third, and fourth positions respectively.
Afghan Players Shine in ODI Rankings
In the ODI allrounder rankings, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi maintained his No. 1 position following a strong performance in the series against Bangladesh. Nabi’s rise has been mirrored by Rashid Khan, who moved up to No. 3. Azmatullah Omarzai’s strong showing in the same series saw him rise two places to No. 9, giving Afghanistan three players in the top 10 allrounder rankings. Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz also saw a significant rise, climbing four spots to No. 4 after contributing both with the bat and the ball in the series.
Hasaranga Climbs to No. 2 in T20I Bowler Rankings
In the T20I rankings, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga made significant strides, moving up four places to No. 2 among bowlers following a stellar series against New Zealand. Despite battling through an injury during the second T20I, Hasaranga took 6 wickets for just 37 runs across the series, including an impressive 4 for 17 in the second match. His performance has brought him closer to England’s Adil Rashid, who remains at the top of the T20I bowler rankings.
West Indies’ Akeal Hosein also made a strong move, rising to No. 3 after his economical bowling in the series against England. Meanwhile, India’s Ravi Bishnoi climbed one place to No. 7 after taking four wickets in two matches against South Africa.
Salt, Samson, and Pooran Among Top Movers in T20I Batting Rankings
England’s Phil Salt, fresh off a strong showing in the T20I series against the West Indies, moved up to No. 2 in the T20I batting rankings, just behind Australia’s Travis Head, who continues to hold the top spot. Salt’s steady performances have been mirrored by his teammate Jos Buttler, who moved up one place to No. 6. Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies also made a move, climbing to No. 10 in the rankings.
However, the most significant rise came from India’s Sanju Samson, whose brilliant 50-ball 107 in the opening T20I against South Africa saw him leap 27 places to No. 39 in the rankings. Samson’s second consecutive T20I century has firmly placed him among the top batsmen in the format. South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks and Tristan Stubbs also made notable moves, with Hendricks climbing to No. 12 and Stubbs jumping 12 spots to No. 26.
The T20I rankings are currently led by Travis Head, followed by Salt and Suryakumar Yadav in the top three spots.