ODI World Cup 2023: Shaheen Shah Afridi claims No. 1 spot in ODI bowling rankings

Ace Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has claimed the top spot in the latest ICC ODI bowling ranking following his exceptional performance in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

The 23-year-old is in red-hot form in the ongoing tournament and is currently the joint highest wicket-taker alongside Australia spin wizard Adam Zampa, with 16 wickets to his name. Shaheen was instrumental for the Babar Azam-led side during the side’s remarkable win over Bangladesh in Kolkata on October 31. The star speedster finished with excellent figures of 3/23 to help his team win by seven wickets.

New No.1 ranked bowler 👑

The Pakistan speedster leads the pack in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings ⬇️https://t.co/jB7vDWimfq

— ICC (@ICC) November 1, 2023

Afridi's nine-position leap costs Australia's Josh Hazlewood (second), India's Mohammed Siraj (third), and South Africa's Keshav Maharaj (fourth) one spot each. It is worth noting that Afridi has never before occupied the top spot in any format of the game. 

With Shaheen reaching the No. 1 spot, Pakistan players now hold the top spot in two ODI categories, as skipper Babar Azam maintains his slim advantage at the top of the batting chart. India’s rising sensation Shubman Gill, his closest competitor, is yet to fire in the World Cup, having scored only 104 runs from four games. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, continued his lead at the top of the ODI all-rounder standings.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by seven wickets to clinch their third win in ODI World Cup 2023

Pakistan staged a stunning comeback against Bangladesh and ended their four-game losing streak, outplaying the Shakib Al Hasan-led side by seven wickets. Babar Azam and Co. restricted Bangladesh to a below-par 204 after Shakib won the toss and opted to bat first, thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim’s three-wicket hauls. Meanwhile, Haris Rauf picked up two wickets for the 1992 champions.

Pakistan got off to a flying start, with Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman opening the innings. Mehidy Hasan, on the other hand, ended the 128-run partnership by removing Shafique for 68 runs. Zaman led the charge for Pakistan, scoring 81 runs off 74 balls as the Men in Green successfully chased down the target in 32.3 overs.