ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s lethal pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi climbed to the top of ICC’s ODI Bowling Rankings on Wednesday after impressive performances in the ongoing World Cup tournament in India.
Afridi, 23, is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup with Australia’s Adam Zampa. The Pakistani pacer impressed with the ball against Bangladesh in Kolkata on Tuesday to return figures of 3-23, helping his team beat their opponents by seven wickets.
Afridi also returned figures of 3/45 against South Africa in their World Cup clash on Oct. 27 while he took a fifer in Pakistan’s match against Australia on Oct. 20. Against Bangladesh, Afridi became the fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets, achieving the feat in only his 51st ODI.
“This is the first time Shaheen has topped the bowler’s rankings in any of the formats,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement, adding that he jumped nine spots to achieve the ranking.
Afridi’s rise to the top reflects Pakistan’s dominance in the 50-over format, as skipper Babar Azam currently leads the ODI Batters’ Rankings. Azam has been sitting at the top of the ODI batter’s rankings since he climbed to the top in April 2021.
“This the first time since the introduction of the ICC ODI Player Rankings that a Pakistan batter and bowler dominate the rankings at the same time,” the PCB said.
Pakistan’s win over Bangladesh kept the green shirts’ slim chances of qualifying for the semifinal stages of the World Cup alive. Azam’s side lost four consecutive matches to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa after winning their opening two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan face New Zealand on Nov. 4 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. They must win their remaining clashes against the Kiwis and England to stand a chance of qualifying for the final four.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi tops ODI Bowling Rankings for the first time
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Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi tops ODI Bowling Rankings for the first time
- Shaheen Shah Afridi is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup with Australia’s Adam Zampa
- This is the first time a Pakistani batter and bowler top the ODI rankings at the same time, confirms PCB
$75m prize pool, full game lineup and schedule announced for Esports World Cup 2026
- The life-changing prize pool reinforces EWC as the defining event on the global esports calendar built to reward players and clubs at the highest level
- EWC Returns to Riyadh July 6 — August 23, 2026; Tickets on Sale January 22
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced a total prize pool of $75 million alongside the full game lineup and schedule for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), the world’s largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 6 through August 23.
More than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries will compete in 25 tournaments across 24 games over seven weeks to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion.
The record-breaking prize pool reflects the evolution of the EWC as a premier sporting event and the anchor multi-title competition within the global esports ecosystem. Delivered at scale for a third year through an established, cross-game format, the EWC brings together the world’s best players, clubs, games and a global community of fans through a shared calendar that sets the rhythm of the global esports season.
“The life-changing prize pool exists to support the people at the heart of esports: the players and the clubs that invest in them year after year,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “EWC is different because of the Club Championship. One title crowns a champion. EWC crowns the ultimate cross-game Club Champion.”
In 2026, the EWC Club Championship, the EWC’s flagship cross-game competition, will award $30 million to the top 24 Clubs, an increase of $3 million year-on-year. The winning Club will receive $7 million, with increased prize allocations distributed across the remaining top finishing positions. Last year’s Club Championship title was decided in the final week of competition, with seven Clubs remaining in contention entering the closing stages.
Individual Game Championships will each carry their own prize pools, with combined allocations exceeding $39 million. The remainder of the prize pool will be distributed through a combination of Club and Player Awards, including MVP awards for each tournament and the Jafonso Award for players or Clubs that win a Game Championship after advancing from a Last Chance Qualifier, as well as through qualifying events hosted by partnered publishers and organizers ahead of the EWC 2026 main event in Riyadh.
Alongside the prize pool, EWCF will continue to operate ecosystem support programs, including the EWCF Club Partner Program and the Road to EWC qualification system. The 2026 Club Partner Program will again support a lineup of 40 top global esports organizations, while publisher-led circuits, tournaments, and grassroots events provide the foundation for the Road to EWC, giving more players and Clubs defined qualification pathways to compete in Riyadh.
Twenty-four competitive titles, including new additions Fortnite and Trackmania, will showcase the best Clubs, players and talent the esports world has to offer on stage at EWC 2026 in Riyadh this summer. The EWC 2026 lineup of games features: Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, Counter-Strike 2, Crossfire, Dota 2, EA Sports FC 26, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, Fortnite, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, TEKKEN 8, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X, Trackmania, and VALORANT.
EWC 2026 competitions will be staged across seven weeks and multiple arenas, allowing several game championships to take place in parallel with a coordinated, multi-venue schedule designed to enhance fan experience and viewership across the lineup.
Tickets for EWC 2026 will be available starting January 22, 2026 at esportsworldcup.com, and through EWC 2026 international ticketing partners: Webook, Platinumlist, Damai, Maiseat, and Tixr. Early Bird tickets include Weekly Access Passes, Premium Tournament Passes, and Hospitality Packages for the Esports Embassy, the EWC’s premium on-site hospitality destination.
The announcement builds on the landmark success of the Esports World Cup 2025. In its second year, EWC reached 750 million viewers worldwide and generated 350 million hours watched, with peak concurrent viewership of 7.98 million during the League of Legends at EWC ‘25 tournament. Coverage was delivered across 28 platforms through 97 broadcast partners and more than 800 channels in 35 languages. Twenty-five tournaments spanning 24 games featured more than 2,000 players representing approximately 200 Clubs from over 100 countries. In Riyadh, the EWC and its Festival welcomed more than 3 million visitors over the seven-week event.
