LAHORE, Following his stellar performance in the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi has ascended to the pinnacle of the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings. This significant achievement is marked by his impressive wicket-taking spree during the World Cup and reaching the fastest 100 ODI wickets milestone as a pace bowler.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Afridi currently holds the distinction of being the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, sharing this accolade with Australia’s Adam Zampa. Notably, his consistent efforts during the matches were evident in his remarkable five-wicket haul against Australia in Bangaluru and a crucial three-wicket stand against Bangladesh. In the match against Bangladesh, he etched his name in cricketing history by becoming the quickest pace bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, achieving this milestone in just 51 games.

This ascent to the top spot in the rankings marks Shaheen’s debut as the number one bowler in any format. Riding on the wave of this achievement, Pakistan cricket continues to shine, with skipper Babar Azam steadfastly holding the top position in the ODI Batting Rankings since April 2021. This marks an unprecedented moment since the inception of the ICC ODI Player Rankings, with both a Pakistani batter and bowler concurrently reigning supreme.

The rankings have witnessed further advancements for Pakistan. Haris Rauf has climbed to the 26th position among bowlers, while Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman stand at the 11th and 14th spots among batters, respectively. After delivering an exceptional performance against Bangladesh, Mohammad Rizwan has moved up to the 36th rank. On the bowling spectrum, Mohammad Wasim Jnr has leaped 18 positions to stand at 56th, while Shadab Khan shares the 19th position in the all-rounders’ list with Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga.

In the latest team rankings, Pakistan is positioned as the third-best ODI team, following closely behind leaders India and second-placed Australia.