Fakhar Zaman enters into the top 20 of the ODI rankings

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has vaulted into the top-20 for the first time in his career in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Player Rankings. The rankings were released on Sunday following the conclusion of the West Indies-Bangladesh series and also incorporate player performances from the Zimbabwe-Pakistan series.

Fakhar scored 515 runs in the series and has gained a total of 22 places to move into 16thposition. When the player rankings were last updated on 17 July following the England versus India series, and the three ODIs between Zimbabwe and Pakistan, Fakhar was 24th but his knocks of 210 not out in the fourth ODI and 85 in the final ODI helped him to gain eight more places.

Fakhar is now the second Pakistan batsman to feature in the top-20 after Babar Zaman reclaimed the second spot after finishing the series with 184 runs. Babar now leads England’s Joe Root by seven points, while the list is headed by India’s Virat Kohli.

Fakhar’s opening partner Imam-ul-Haq has also made a massive impact in the latest player rankings.

Imam had gained 70 places after the first three ODIs, and moved up another 51 spots to finish the Zimbabwe tour in the 43rd position. In the five ODIs, the 22-year-old has gained 121 positions, thanks to his series aggregate of 395 runs that also included three centuries.

In the bowling table, Pakistan wrist-spinner Shadab Khan and fast bowler Faheem Ashraf have made upward movements. Both bowlers collected nine wickets apiece in the series, and as such, Shadab has finished in 31st position (he started the series in 53rd position) and Faheem has ended up in 79th position (he started the series ranked 149th).

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s old war horses, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza, have been rewarded for steering their side to a 2-1 series victory over the West Indies.

Tamim scored centuries in winning causes to finish with 287 runs and this is reflected in the latest player rankings in which the left-handed opener has jumped four places to a career-high 13th position. His previous best ranking was 15th.

Shakib, who finished with 190 runs in the series with two half-centuries, has jumped three places to 26th, while Mahmudullah is in the 38th position after moving up four places.

Mashrafe not only led his side intelligently but also excelled with the white ball when he finished as the leading wicket-taker with seven wickets. He has, therefore, earned a jump of eight places, which has put him back inside the top-20 in the 19th position.

Jasprit Bumrah of India is the No.1-ranked bowler and is followed by Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Hasan Ali.

The West Indies may have lost the series 2-1, but there was something to smile for the home side.

In the batting table, Shai Hope is now 45th (up by five places), Shimron Hetmyer is 59th (up by 77 places) and Chris Gayle is 66th (up by 12 places).

In the bowlers’ list, Ashley Nurse is 38th (up by 25 places) and Devendra Bishoo is 92nd (up by 31 places).

The player rankings will now be updated at the conclusion of Sri Lanka and South Africa ODI series.

ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 29 July, after the conclusion of the West Indies v Bangladesh series, and first ODI between Sri Lanka and South Africa):

*Nepal and the Netherlands will qualify for a full ranking after playing four more matches each

ICC ODI team rankings

*Nepal and the Netherlands will qualify for a full ranking after playing four more matches each

ICC ODI Player Rankings (as on 29 July, after the conclusion of the West Indies v Bangladesh series):

Batsmen

Other select rankings

13       (+4)       Tamim Iqbal       Ban       737!     36.23   737 v Win at St Kitts 2018

14       (-1)       Martin Guptill      NZ        731      42.99   789 v SA at Hamilton 2017

15       (-1)       MS Dhoni           Ind        714      51.25   836 v Aus at Delhi 2009

16       (+8)       Fakhar Zaman    Pak       713*!    76.07   713 v Zim at Bulawayo 2018

17       (-2)       Aaron Finch       Aus       706      38.19   744 v Eng at Melbourne 2015

18       (-2)       Jos Buttler         Eng       701      40.35   723 v Ban at Mirpur 2016

19       (-1)       Steve Smith       Aus       675      41.84   752 v Pak at Sydney 2017

20=     (-1)       Travis Head       Aus       670*!    37.00   670 v Eng at Old Trafford 2018

(-1)       Jason Roy         Eng       670      39.06   680 v Aus at Durham 2018

Bowlers (top 20) 

Other select rankings

17       (+2)       M. Rahman        Ban       609*     20.01   4.71     610 v Win at Guyana 2018

18       (-1)       Pat Cummins     Aus       607      28.45   5.38     626 v Eng at Adelaide 2018

19=     (+8)       M. Mortaza         Ban       606      30.87   4.78     653 v Zim at Mirpur 2009

(-1)       Matt Henry        NZ        606      24.59   5.57     675 v Aus at Hamilton 2016 

All-Rounders (top five)