DUBAI – Australia opener David Warner has wrested the top spot in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen with a stupendous run in recent matches that is a warning for other teams in the year of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which will be held in the United Kingdom from 1-18 June.
The attacking left-hander has attained the top ranking for the first time, leapfrogging South Africa’s AB de Villiers and India captain Virat Kohli after amassing 367 runs in the five-match home series against Pakistan which his side won 4-1, said a press release issued here on Friday.
Warner, who struck a belligerent 179 off 128 balls to help win the final ODI in Adelaide by 57 runs on Thursday, is aiming to continue with the superb form that has seen him score six centuries in the last 11 ODIs.
“It is a huge year for one-day cricket with the ICC Champions Trophy later this year and I am hoping I can take my good form into that tournament and help Australia lift the trophy for the third time,” said Warner, who is now 19 points ahead of second-placed de Villiers in the ODI rankings list with a tally of 880 points.
“It is always a great honour and very nice to receive these accolades but from my perspective, my job is to put our team into winning positions and I have been fortunate that I have been able to do that lately,” he said.
Warner’s opening partner Travis Head, with whom he added 284 runs in the final ODI, has gained 42 places to reach 38th slot after aggregating 270 runs including his maiden ton (128) in Adelaide.
For Pakistan, Babar Azam, who smashed 100 runs in Adelaide for a total of 282 runs in the series, has broken into the top-10 for the first time as he has gained five positions to reach 10th rank. His team-mate Sharjeel Khan’s 250 runs in the series, which included three half-centuries, have lifted him 35 slots to a career-best 53rd rank.
There were other batsmen to gain too after India’s 2-1 win over England in a series that ended on Sunday.
England batsman Jason Roy’s three half-centuries have taken him into the top 20 for the first time as he has gained 23 slots to reach 17thplace. For India, Kedar Jadhav’s 232 runs have helped him gain 57 slots to reach 47th ranking.-Online
