In a remarkable display of skill and precision, Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi has emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing Cricket World Cup. Afridi shares this honour with Australia’s Adam Zampa, both having claimed 16 wickets each.
Stellar Performance Propels Afridi to No.1 Spot
Afridi’s exceptional performance in Pakistan’s decisive victory over Bangladesh in Kolkata, where he took three wickets, has propelled him past nine other contenders to secure the top spot in the One Day International (ODI) bowling rankings. This achievement has kept Pakistan’s hopes for a semi-final berth alive.
Shuffling in the Top 10 Bowling Rankings
Afridi’s meteoric rise has resulted in Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, India’s Mohammed Siraj, and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj each dropping a place in the rankings. Meanwhile, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have moved up two places, securing the seventh and eighth spots respectively.
Afridi’s Maiden No.1 Ranking
This is the first time Afridi has achieved the No.1 ranking in any format. This achievement, coupled with Babar Azam’s narrow lead in the batting list, means that Pakistan currently holds the top spot in two ODI categories.
Babar Azam’s Narrow Lead in Batting Rankings
However, Babar’s lead in the ODI batting rankings is precarious, with a mere two rating points separating him from the competition. His low score of nine runs against Bangladesh has almost cost him his top spot.
Challengers Closing in on Top Spots
With 216 runs from seven innings, Babar’s closest competitor, India’s Shubman Gill, has yet to capitalize on his opportunities. Meanwhile, Australia’s David Warner and India’s Rohit Sharma have improved their positions, moving to fourth and fifth places respectively, thanks to their impressive run tallies in the World Cup.
Significant Movers in ODI Batting Rankings
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards has made a significant leap in the ODI batting rankings, moving up 11 places to 16th position after scoring 204 runs in six World Cup innings.
ODI All-Rounders Rankings
In the ODI all-rounders rankings, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan continues to lead, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen and New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra have made notable strides, moving up to ninth and 17th places respectively.