Hasan Ali becomes No 1 ODI bowler

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Hasan Ali moved up six places to become the top-ranked ODI bowler in the ICC rankings here on Friday.Hasan’s haul of five for 34 in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi gave the pacer a big boost in ranking points.

The 23-year-old, who has taken nine wickets in the series so far, became the fifth bowler at the top of the ODI rankings this year after Trent Boult, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada and Josh Hazlewood.

Outside the top 20, Sri Lanka’s Suranga Lakmal (up three places to 36th), South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo (up 30 places to 52nd) and Bangladesh’s Rubel Hossain (up seven places to 61st) were the other bowlers to move northwards.

The latest rankings also see de Villiers climb to the top of the ODI table for the 14th time in his career.A knock of 176 by AB de Villiers in the second ODI against Bangladesh, which included 15 fours and seven sixes and came off only 104 balls, helped South Africa edge India at the top of ICC ODI Team Rankings by taking a 2-0 winning lead in the three-match series.

De Villiers, who has leapfrogged Australian David Warner and India captain Virat Kohli, had first attained the top position in May 2010 and the number of days he has spent at the top is second most after retired Windies great Vivian Richards. De Villiers has now been at the top for 2,124 days. Richards was number one for 2,306 days.

Other batsmen to move up include Pakistan’s Babar Azam (up two places to a career-best fourth), South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (up three places to fifth) and Hashim Amla (up two places to ninth), and Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim (up five places to 18th).Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez tops the all-rounder rankings.