- Babar Azam maintains top spot despite a dip in rating points.
- Haris Rauf’s spectacular 5-wicket haul propels him to 36th position in ODI bowling rankings.
- Imam-ul-Haq rises to third place in ICC ODI rankings with a superb 94-ball 61 against Afghanistan.
In the first ODI in Hambantota, Imam-ul-Haq displayed a remarkable performance, scoring 61 runs from 94 balls against Afghanistan. This stellar performance propelled him to the third position in the ICC ODI rankings. Babar Azam currently leads the rankings with 880 rating points, followed by Rassie van der Dussen from South Africa with 777 points. Imam-ul-Haq, with 752 points, is closing in on the second position after achieving his 17th international ODI half-century.
Despite scoring only two runs in the mentioned game, Imam-ul-Haq managed to surpass Fakhar Zaman, who slipped to the fifth position in the rankings. Babar Azam, while maintaining his top-ranking status, saw a decrease of six rating points after being dismissed for a duck. Shubman Gill from India holds the fourth position with 743 rating points, ahead of Fakhar Zaman in fifth place.
In a remarkable turn of events, fiery bowler Haris Rauf led Pakistan’s pace attack against Afghanistan, resulting in a resounding 142-run victory in the opening ODI. Rauf’s exceptional performance, which included a career-best five-wicket haul, played a crucial role in reducing Afghanistan to their second-lowest ODI total of 59 runs in just 19.2 overs. Thanks to his devastating figures of 5-18 in 6.2 overs, Rauf climbed seven spots in the ODI bowling rankings, securing the 36th position. Moreover, he achieved his highest-ever rating points, totaling 522.
This victory showcased Pakistan’s dominance, with Imam-ul-Haq’s batting prowess and Haris Rauf’s exceptional bowling performance being the standout highlights of the match.