Pakistan has received a boost just months ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, as Shaheen Afridi has regained the No. 1 spot in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Bowler Rankings. This is a significant achievement for Pakistan during a strong week for the team’s performances, with England and Sri Lanka’s T20I players also making strides in their rankings.
Afridi reclaimed the top position thanks to outstanding performances during Pakistan’s recent series against Australia, where he took eight wickets in three matches at an impressive average of 12.62. His rise saw him jump three places, overtaking South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj, who fell to third, while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan remains in second.
Previously, Afridi held the No. 1 ranking during last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India. Teammate Haris Rauf also had a remarkable week, moving up 14 places to rank 13th overall and achieving a new career-high rating after claiming 10 wickets and receiving Player of the Series honours against Australia. Additionally, Naseem Shah improved 14 places to reach a career-best 55th.

With Afridi leading the bowling rankings, Pakistan now has the top-ranked player in both ODI batting and bowling. Former captain Babar Azam solidified his position at the top of the batting charts, scoring 80 runs against Australia. New captain Mohammad Rizwan also made gains, moving up two places to tie for 23rd after scoring 74 runs in the same series.
A memorable innings from Rizwan, where he achieved his highest ODI score, significantly contributed to Pakistan’s success at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto climbed 11 places to equal 23rd, and Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai moved up two spots to tie for 31st in the ODI batting rankings. Among bowlers, West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie rose one place to equal 14th, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz advanced nine spots to tie for 23rd.
In the ODI all-rounder rankings, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi remains in front, though Mehidy (up four places to fourth) and Omarzai (up two spots to ninth) made notable progress this week.
The latest T20I rankings also saw significant shifts. England’s Phil Salt (second), Jos Buttler (sixth), and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (10th) each made gains in the top 10 for batters following their strong performances in the ongoing Caribbean series. South African players Reeza Hendricks (up two spots to 12th) and Tristan Stubbs (up 12 places to 26th) achieved impressive improvements, while India’s Sanju Samson leaped 27 rungs to 39th after scoring a century in Durban.
On the T20I bowlers’ list, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is the big mover, jumping four spots to second behind top-ranked Adil Rashid. West Indies’ Akeal Hosein (third) and India’s Ravi Bishnoi (seventh) each gained a place in the top 10. New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner rose four spots to rank 13th, Lockie Ferguson moved up 10 places to 15th, and England’s Jofra Archer made a similar leap to 21st. Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana advanced 22 places to tie for 31st, while India’s Varun Chakravarthy climbed from outside the top 100 to equal 64th after a five-wicket haul against South Africa.
In the T20I all-rounder rankings, England’s Liam Livingstone continues to lead, followed by Hasaranga (up one place to fifth) and versatile West Indies player Romario Shepherd (up four spots to eighth).