Babar Azam Pips Shubman Gill to Reclaim Top Spot in ICC ODI Batting Rankings; Adil Rashid Becomes No 1 T20I Bowler

Premier Pakistan batter Babar Azam reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings after pipping India’s Shubman Gill on Wednesday. Shubman has been rested for the ongoing ODI series against South Africa to prepare for the Test series which was the reason behind his drop to the second spot in the latest rankings.

The Ireland players also made gains in the rankings after their series win over Zimbabwe.

Ireland players were in the limelight after their 2-0 series win over Zimbabwe. Harry Tector (up one place seventh) and Curtis Campher (up 19 places to 73rd) moved up the batting rankings while Mark Adair (up nine places to 24th), Andy McBrine (up two places to 27th) and Joshua Little (up 28 places to 34th) have all made significant growth in the latest update.

India’s stand-in skipper for the ongoing ODI series KL Rahul also moved up two places to 16th.

Meanwhile, in the ICC T20 bowling rankings, Adil Rashid attained the numero uno spot after consistent performances in the five-match series against the West Indies which is level at 2-2 with one match to go.

Rashid grabbed five wickets in the three matches played over the past week to move to the top of the bowlers’ list for the first time in his career.

The English spinner managed to overtake Rashid Khan and Ravi Bishnoi in the listings.

Left-arm wrist spinners Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa and Kuldeep Yadav of India are among the others to advance. Shamsi has moved into the top 10 while Yadav’s five-wicket haul in the third and final match of the series against South Africa in Johannesburg has lifted him 13 places to 24th position.

South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj (up five places to 19th) and India fast bowler Mohammad Siraj (up 37 places to 69th) are among others to move up after the latest weekly rankings update.

In the rankings for batters, West Indies opener Brandon King, who scored a match-winning 82 not out off 52 deliveries in the second match of the series, has gained six slots to reach a career-best sixth position while Nicholas Pooran (up two places to 12th) and Rovman Powell (up14 places to 23rd) have also progressed.

England’s Phil Salt has galloped to 20th position and India’s Yashaswi Jaiswal has moved to 14th position in the list led by his team-mate Suryakumar Yadav.