Shaheen Shah Afridi Reclaims No. 1 ODI Bowler Spot in ICC Rankings After Stellar Australia Series
Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the latest ICC ODI bowler rankings following an impressive performance in the recent ODI series against Australia. Afridi’s eight wickets over three matches, taken at an average of 12.62, propelled him up three places, overtaking South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj, who dropped to third, and keeping Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan in second.
Afridi’s resurgence at the top marks his return to the premier position for the first time since last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India. The achievement also means Pakistan now holds the top-ranked players in both batting and bowling in ODI cricket, with former captain Babar Azam further solidifying his position as the No. 1 ODI batter. Azam scored 80 runs in the series against Australia, getting dismissed only once, which widened his lead in the batting charts.
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Pakistan’s success in the Australia series, which they won 2-1, also brought career-high rankings for other players. Fast bowler Haris Rauf climbed 14 places to reach 13th overall after taking 10 wickets, earning him the Player of the Series accolade. Naseem Shah also made a significant leap, moving up 14 spots to achieve a career-best ranking at 55th.
Pakistan’s rise in the rankings signals positive momentum as they prepare for next year’s Champions Trophy, with newly appointed ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan gaining two places to reach an equal 23rd ranking after scoring 74 runs in the Australia series.
Other notable movers in the ODI rankings include Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who climbed 11 spots to joint 23rd among batters, and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai, up two places to equal 31st. West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie rose to joint 14th among bowlers, and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz moved up nine spots to equal 23rd. Among all-rounders, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi remains at the top, while Mehidy and Omarzai made strides, reaching fourth and ninth, respectively.
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