Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has reclaimed the top spot in the ODI bowler rankings ahead of the ICC World Cup, climbing eight places after a terrific outing in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. His exceptional performance spell, where he took 6/21 to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 runs, propelled him to the number one position. Siraj had lost the top spot in March this year but has now gone past star bowlers like Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, and Mitchell Starc.
With the World Cup just around the corner, Siraj’s return to the top of the rankings is a significant boost for India. His form and consistency in recent months have made him a vital asset for the team, and he has taken over the first-choice role in the playing XI over Mohammed Shami, who remained on the sidelines for most of the Asia Cup this month.
Apart from Siraj, the Afghan spin duo of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan also improved their rankings. Mujeeb Ur Rahman is now ranked fourth, while Rashid Khan is ranked fifth in the ODI bowler rankings. Both spinners have been instrumental in Afghanistan’s success in limited-overs cricket and will play a crucial role in their team’s World Cup campaign.
Outside the top 10, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj showed significant improvement in the rankings. Maharaj’s performance in the recent ODI series against Australia, where he took eight wickets at an average of 16.87 and an economy rate of just 4.07 per over, saw him climbing ten places to 15th in the rankings, reaching a career-high position.
In the ODI batting rankings, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen entered top-10 (ninth) after a remarkable innings against Australia in the fourth ODI, scoring 174 runs at a strike rate of 209.64. Ben Stokes, who recently came out of retirement, made a sensational comeback to ODI cricket with a brilliant knock of 182 at The Oval; it earned him the 36th place in the rankings.
