Shaheen Afridi Reclaims Top Spot in ICC Rankings

Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi has regained his position as the No. 1 ODI bowler in the latest ICC rankings, joining Babar Azam, who continues to reign as the top batter in the format. This marks a dual achievement for Pakistan at the summit of ODI cricket.

Afridi Shines Against Australia

Afridi’s outstanding performance in the ODI series against Australia, where he claimed eight wickets at an impressive average of 12.62, propelled him past Kuldeep Yadav, Rashid Khan, and Keshav Maharaj to reclaim the top spot. Rashid held onto the second position, while Maharaj and Kuldeep dropped to third and fourth, respectively. This is Afridi’s second stint at the top, having briefly held the position during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Haris Rauf, Afridi’s pace partner, also made a significant leap, climbing 14 places to reach 13th after his stellar 10-wicket haul earned him the Player-of-the-Series award. Naseem Shah moved up 14 spots to a career-best 55th position in the rankings.

Babar Azam’s Consistency

Babar Azam further extended his lead as the world’s top ODI batter with scores of 37, 15, and 28 in the recent series. He remains comfortably ahead of India’s Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, who occupy the second, third, and fourth spots, respectively.

All-rounders Shine in Afghanistan-Bangladesh Series

The Afghanistan vs. Bangladesh in the UAE brought major shifts among ODI all-rounders. Mohammad Nabi maintained his spot as the No. 1 all-rounder, while Rashid Khan climbed to third. Azmatullah Omarzai’s strong performances pushed him to ninth, marking three Afghan players in the top 10. Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz also rose four places to claim the fourth spot after contributing three wickets and a crucial 66 in the final ODI.

T20I Rankings: Samson and Hasaranga Make Waves

In T20Is, Wanindu Hasaranga’s brilliant 6-for-37 against New Zealand lifted him to second place among bowlers, just behind England’s Adil Rashid. Akeal Hosein’s economic spell against England earned him the third spot, while Ravi Bishnoi climbed to seventh after his impactful performance against South Africa.

Among batters, Phil Salt (second), Jos Buttler (sixth), and Nicholas Pooran (10th) made gains after standout performances in the England-West Indies series. India’s Sanju Samson, meanwhile, jumped 27 places to reach 39th following his second consecutive T20I century—a blistering 50-ball 107 against South Africa. Reeza Hendricks (12th) and Tristan Stubbs (26th) also improved their positions, while Travis Head continues to lead the T20I batting charts, with Salt and Suryakumar Yadav completing the top three. 

This week’s rankings highlight the exceptional form of both established and emerging players, adding fresh intrigue to the cricketing landscape.