Pakistani skipper Mohammad Rizwan has climbed two spots to reach 21st place in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings despite Pakistan suffering a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand in the recently concluded series.
According to the latest update issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC), Rizwan now holds 606 rating points. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batter’s rise comes amid an otherwise disappointing performance by the Men in Green against a second-string Black Caps side.
Among other Pakistani batters, Fakhar Zaman – currently out of the national squad – slipped two places to 23rd, while Imam-ul-Haq retained his 34th spot. Young opener Saim Ayub dropped two positions to 39th, and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha moved up to 40th.
India’s Shubman Gill continues to hold the top position in ODI batting rankings, followed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam in second and Indian captain Rohit Sharma in third.
In the bowling department, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped one place to 12th with 601 points. Haris Rauf also fell two places, landing at 24th. Naseem Shah, who has been recovering from injury, climbed five spots to 43rd with 494 points, while Mohammad Wasim Jr, who made a comeback in the series, dropped six places to 68th.
Despite the series loss, New Zealand’s players made significant gains in the rankings. Stand-in captain Michael Bracewell was among the standout performers, rising two spots to fifth in the ICC ODI All-Rounder Rankings, overtaking fellow Kiwi Mitchell Santner.
Bracewell scored 85 runs across the three-match series, including a quickfire 59 off 40 balls in the final ODI, helping New Zealand post 264/8 in 42 overs. He also picked up two wickets during the series, including 1/39 in the last match.
His all-round performance saw him jump 12 places in the batting rankings to 89th while retaining his 18th position among ODI bowlers.
Pacer Ben Sears was the revelation for the Black Caps, taking a five-wicket haul in the third ODI to help secure a 43-run win and complete the series sweep. Sears, who finished with 10 wickets in the series, was named Player of the Series. His efforts resulted in a dramatic leap of 64 spots in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings.
The young Kiwi pacer’s performance has bolstered New Zealand’s bench strength ahead of a busy cricket calendar, while Pakistan faces growing scrutiny over squad selection and performance following the unexpected home series defeat.
