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.
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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
Inconsistent Sabalenka advances to the fourth round at the Australian Open
- Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka is chasing her third Australian Open title in four years
- Daniil Medvedev rallies from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary
MELBOURNE: Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka overcame several bouts of inconsistent play Friday to beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and advance to the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in the opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 in the tiebreaker before Potapova leveled at 3-3.
Sabalenka held two more set points and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the line off Potapova’s second serve.
After trailing 4-0 in the second set, Potapova rallied to tie it 4-4 and again force a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set points to win the set in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.
“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said of Potapova in her on-court TV interview. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight and … it was such a fight.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys. Sabalenka has also won the US Open twice.
In other women’s matches, No. 17 Victoria Mboko defeated 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.
On the men’s side, No. 11 Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. Medvedev is the 2021 US Open champion.
Also, No. 19 Tommy Paul of the United States beat Alejandro Davidovich when Davidovich retired after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.
And 25th-seeded Learner Tien of the United States defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-2. Tien will play Medvedev in the fourth round.
In later matches on Friday, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz played Corentin Moutet, and third-seeded Coco Gauff played fellow American Hailey Baptiste.
Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in the opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 in the tiebreaker before Potapova leveled at 3-3.
Sabalenka held two more set points and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the line off Potapova’s second serve.
After trailing 4-0 in the second set, Potapova rallied to tie it 4-4 and again force a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set points to win the set in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.
“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said of Potapova in her on-court TV interview. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight and … it was such a fight.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys. Sabalenka has also won the US Open twice.
In other women’s matches, No. 17 Victoria Mboko defeated 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.
On the men’s side, No. 11 Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. Medvedev is the 2021 US Open champion.
Also, No. 19 Tommy Paul of the United States beat Alejandro Davidovich when Davidovich retired after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.
And 25th-seeded Learner Tien of the United States defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-2. Tien will play Medvedev in the fourth round.
In later matches on Friday, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz played Corentin Moutet, and third-seeded Coco Gauff played fellow American Hailey Baptiste.
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