Pakistan's pace trio comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah following their impressive Asia Cup 2023 run so far, witnessed a significant improvement in the recently released International Cricket Council (ICC) one-day international (ODI) rankings.
The latest ICC ODI rankings has Shaheen ranked at the fifth position after jumping four places as the left-arm fast bowler bagged six wickets in two matches of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, Rauf moved up 14 spots to be ranked 29th, and Shah is now ranked at 68th position — career-high rankings for both pacers.
The Pakistani trio has had an impressive run in the Asia Cup 2023 so far. Their most notable achievement came in the match against arch-rivals India where the triad bagged all 10 wickets.
Moreover, India's young guns Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan have reached new career-high ratings.
"While Babar still holds a significant lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings, both Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan have made inroads on the Pakistan skipper following their impressive starts to the ongoing Asia Cup 2023," the ICC said in a press release.
"Gill hit an unbeaten 67* during India's must-win clash against Nepal and moved up to a career-high rating of 750 rating points as a result and third place on the ODI batter rankings less than one month out from the start of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup," the governing body's press-release added.
ICC also said, "Kishan showed his class with a brilliant 82 during India's match with Pakistan in Pallekele and was also rewarded with a new career-best mark of 624 rating points and a 12-place rise to 24th on the updated list for ODI batters."
Furthermore, ICC also accentuated that: "Babar has had just one innings thus far at the Asia Cup and showed just how destructive he can be with a superb 151 against Nepal and the inspirational Pakistan skipper still holds a commanding lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings with a total of 882 rating points."
South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen holds on to second place narrowly, with 777 points.
Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka (up eight spots to 29th) also makes ground on the latest ODI rankings for batters.
