DUBAI – Pakistan batsman Babar Azam consolidated his top position in latest ODI rankings issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.
The right-arm batter stands at the top position with 786 points, maintaining a narrow lead as India’s Shubman Gill gained one place to move to second with 781 points and is just five rating points adrift of Babar after back-to-back half-centuries against England.
India skipper Rohit Sharma is within 13 rating points of Babar Azam following his performance in Cuttack.
With just one week remaining until the start of the Champions Trophy event in Pakistan and the UAE, it sets up a tight race for the premier position for batting in 50-over cricket during the eight-team tournament.
Fakhar Zaman (13th), Kane Williamson (29th), Jos Buttler (38th), Devon Conway (equal 40th) and Joe Root (51st) are among the big names to re-enter the rankings for ODI batters following a recent return to 50-over cricket, while things are equally as tight near the top of the bowling ranks.
Just 18 rating points separates Rashid Khan, Maheesh Theekshana, Bernard Scholtz, Shaheen Afridi and Kuldeep Yadav inside the top five for ODI bowlers, while India duo Ravindra Jadeja (11th) and Mohammed Shami (13th) sit just outside the top 10 following a recent return against England.
Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi maintains a narrow lead at the top of the ODI rankings for all-rounders, with New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner (up two places to seventh) among the biggest movers this week ahead of the Champions Trophy.
