Shaheen Shah Afridi has lost his No.1 spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings for bowlers, with Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan taking over the top position. Afridi had briefly become the top-ranked bowler earlier this month after his standout performance in Pakistan’s 3-match ODI series against Australia. However, due to his absence in the first two ODIs against Zimbabwe, where he lost 14 points, Afridi dropped to No.2.
Afridi had previously achieved his career-best rating of 696 points after the Perth ODI, where he played a key role in Pakistan’s 2-1 series win over Australia, taking three wickets for 32 runs in a commanding victory. Despite this drop, Afridi’s impact in the series was significant, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with eight wickets at an impressive economy rate of 3.76.
On the other hand, Rashid Khan’s rise to No.1 was propelled by his consistent performances, including a strong showing in the ODI series against Bangladesh, where he took five wickets in three games at an economy rate of 3.57. His remarkable performance continued against South Africa, where he claimed seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul. With 195 wickets in 108 ODIs, Rashid is closing in on becoming the fourth-fastest bowler to 200 ODI wickets.
In other ranking updates, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf dropped two places to No.15, while Mohammed Shami and Gudakesh Motie each climbed one place. Rashid’s rise to the top highlights his growing stature as one of the best ODI bowlers, with his consistent performances in international cricket.
