NZ vs PAK: Shaheen Afridi Becomes No.1 ODI Bowler In The ICC Rankings
Published - 01 Nov 2023, 03:25 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:21 AM
Riding on some impressive performances in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has become the number-one ranked ODI bowler in the world.
The left-arm pacer has regained his best form just when his team needed his services the most in the ongoing competition. He is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament alongside Australia spinner Adam Zampa. Both the bowlers have picked up 16 wickets so far.
Shaheen Afridi managed just two wickets in the first two games before taking 2 wickets against India. It was followed by an impressive 5-wicket haul against Australia and a solitary wicket against Afghanistan. In the last two games, he has picked up 6 wickets against South Africa and Bangladesh.
Shaheen Afridi becomes the number one bowler in the world:
The string of impressive displays has helped Shaheen Afridi move to the top of the ICC Rankings for ODI bowlers. He has displaced Australia’s Josh Hazlewood to claim the top spot after jumping nine places. Hazlewood has dropped to the second spot and is followed by India’s Mohammed Siraj (third), and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj (fourth). The Pakistan pacer has achieved the No.1 ranking in any format for the first time in his career.
His Pakistan teammate and captain Babar Azam is leading the batter’s chart although his days as the no.1 ODI batsman in the world look numbered. He is leading second-placed Shubman Gill by just two rating points. Another poor outing in the ongoing competition could very well see Babar losing his top spot.
Meanwhile, veteran openers David Warner and Rohit Sharma have made impressive gains too. Warner has moved up one place to fourth after scoring two centuries and a fifty in his last three innings in the World Cup. On the other hand, Rohit has jumped up three spots to fifth after scoring 398 runs in the tournament. Netherlands’ talismanic captain Scott Edwards has also gained big, jumping up 11 places to equal 16th.
