Shadab Khan surged 32 places in the batting charts and Arafat Minhas climbed 15 places in the bowling charts in the latest ICC ODI rankings, released on Wednesday, October 28. The ICC ODI rankings update, driven by the ongoing home tri-series against England and Sri Lanka, also moved Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi up to sixth among bowlers, while former captain Babar Azam slipped two places to ninth among batters.
Shaheen rose two places to sixth following his performances in the tri-series, in which he has claimed eight wickets in four matches. He has been one of Pakistan’s leading performers with the ball in the tournament, and his rise is the most significant move among Pakistan’s established players.
Bowling: Arafat climbs, pace partners slip
Arafat Minhas made the biggest bowling gain among Pakistan’s players, climbing 15 places to 68th with 435 rating points. The left-arm spinner claimed six wickets against England in the tri-series, producing a standout performance that drove his rise.
Not every Pakistan bowler moved up. Haris Rauf dropped nine places to 29th, while Naseem Shah slipped six spots to 53rd. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, who is yet to feature in the ongoing tri-series, fell one place to third in the bowling rankings. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan retained the top position, while South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj remained second, pushing Abrar down to third.
Batting: Shadab jumps, Babar and Salman slide
Shadab Khan was among Pakistan’s biggest gainers in the latest update. The all-rounder surged 32 places to 92nd in the ODI batting rankings after producing a match-winning century against England, the innings that also anchored Pakistan’s dramatic one-wicket win in Lahore.
Babar Azam dropped two places to ninth following a modest campaign in the tournament. The right-handed batter has scored 118 runs in four matches, failing to convert his starts into a substantial innings despite several opportunities at the crease. Pakistan all-rounder Salman Ali Agha also slipped one place to 13th in the batting rankings. After opening the tri-series with a century against Sri Lanka, Salman struggled to maintain his momentum, managing just 51 runs across his next three appearances.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who has been dropped from Pakistan’s ODI squad, fell eight places to 42nd. Opening batter Fakhar Zaman also continued his decline, dropping two places to 46th following his recent struggles with the bat.
ICC ODI rankings: the tri-series context
The rankings moves make more sense against the tri-series itself. Pakistan’s batting numbers were dented by their collapse against Sri Lanka in Lahore, when the side were bowled out for 110, with Babar top-scoring with 29. That match, which Sri Lanka won by eight wickets to reach the final, explains part of the slide for several batters at once.
The same tournament has produced the gains. Shadab’s century against England, Shaheen’s eight wickets in four matches and Arafat’s six wickets against England all came in tri-series games, and the rankings have moved accordingly. Feature Pakistan has tracked the same run of form in its tri-series coverage, including Sahibzada Farhan’s rise to second in the T20I rankings, Shaheen Afridi’s 150 ODI wickets and Pakistan’s 110 all out against Sri Lanka.
What happens next
The rankings will move again after the tri-series final, when Pakistan meet Sri Lanka in Lahore on October 31. A strong final from Babar or Salman could repair their batting positions, while another productive match for Shaheen or Arafat could push them higher still. For Shadab, the question is whether a single match-winning century can become a run of scores, since his jump to 92nd still leaves him well outside the batting top 50.
Frequently asked questions
Who gained most for Pakistan in the latest ICC ODI rankings?
Shadab Khan gained most among batters, surging 32 places to 92nd, while Arafat Minhas gained most among bowlers, climbing 15 places to 68th.
Where does Shaheen Afridi rank now?
Shaheen climbed two places to sixth in the ODI bowling rankings after taking eight wickets in four tri-series matches.
Why did Babar Azam slip?
Babar dropped two places to ninth after scoring 118 runs in four tri-series matches, including a top score of 29 in the 110 all out against Sri Lanka.
When is the tri-series final?
Pakistan meet Sri Lanka in the final in Lahore on October 31.
