Shaheen Shah Afridi has been in sensational form for Pakistan at the Cricket World Cup, emerging as one of the tournament’s standout performers. His impressive bowling performances have seen him become the joint leading wicket-taker alongside Australia’s spinner Adam Zampa, with both players having taken 16 wickets apiece.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi’s impressive performance in Pakistan’s recent victory over Bangladesh not only kept his side’s semi-final hopes alive but also propelled him to the top of the ICC ODI bowler rankings. The 23-year-old left-armer’s three-wicket haul in the match helped him surpass nine other bowlers to claim the No.1 spot.
Babar Azam’s lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings has narrowed to just two rating points, following a relatively low-scoring innings of nine runs against Bangladesh. Despite this, Babar maintains his position as the top-ranked ODI batter, with a total of 216 runs from seven innings at the World Cup.
Key Points:
- Close Competition: India’s Shubman Gill is the closest challenger to Babar, with 104 runs from four innings. However, Gill has not yet been able to capitalize on Babar’s dip in form to overtake him in the rankings.
- Rising Stars: David Warner of Australia has risen to fourth place in the rankings, thanks to his impressive 413 runs at the World Cup. Meanwhile, India’s Rohit Sharma has climbed three spots to fifth, following his 398 runs in the tournament.
- Scott Edwards’ Rise: Netherlands captain Scott Edwards has made a significant move up the rankings, jumping 11 places to equal 16th position, after scoring 204 runs in six innings at the World Cup.
- All-rounders Rankings: Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan continues to lead the rankings for ODI all-rounders. South Africa’s Marco Jansen has moved up two spots to ninth place, while New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra has climbed 14 spots to 17th.
The competition among batters and all-rounders in ODI cricket remains intense, with players striving to perform consistently and improve their rankings. Babar Azam will be keen to maintain his lead at the top, while others will be looking to close the gap and improve their positions in the rankings.
