Babar Azam takes top ODI batter spot from Shubman Gill

 Adil Rashid is second English player to bag No.1 ranking of T20I bowlers

By Web Desk December 20, 2023

Babar Azam plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023 super four one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 11, 2023. — AFP

Pakistan's Babar Azam has reclaimed the top spot for ODI batter from India's Shubman Gill, while an English spinner has emerged as the newest player to hold the number-one position for T20I bowlers.

As per the ICC ranking, the former Pakistan skipper has 824 points, 14 more than Gill’s 810.

In the T20I rankings for bowlers, Adil Rashid has been rewarded for his strong, consistent play in the Caribbean. Less than six months before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup begins, he moves up two spots with 715 points to dethrone Afghanistan's Rashid Khan from the top slot.

Rashid is the second player from England to bag the No.1 ranking of T20I bowlers after off-spinner Graeme Swann held the top spot more than a decade ago.

After scoring a quick century in the final match of India's series against South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav extended his lead by 100 rating points in T20I. His nearest competitors are Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan (2nd) and Aiden Markram (3rd) of South Africa.

After their performance against Pakistan lately, Australia's Usman Khawaja has moved up three places to 4th spot in the Test and within striking reach of the top-ranked Kane Williamson.

Khawaja’s teammate David Warner has also jumped nine spots to 27th and Mitchell Marsh improved 12 places to equal 68th after a good performance against Pakistan.

In the Test bowler’s rankings, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins is up one place to third, Nathan Lyon jumped three spots to fifth, Mitchell Starc rose two places to eighth and Josh Hazlewood has climbed two spots to 10th as India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continues to hold sway at the top.