ICC Rankings Update, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam pair on top

In-form opener Imam-ul-Haq has surpassed India’s veteran Virat Kohli to top the ICC rankings with teammate Babar Azam at the top. Pakistan are now two of the highest rated in the world for the first time. ODI batsmen playing together.

Imam scored three half-centuries during Pakistan’s recent ODI series at home against West Indies. His form was duly rewarded as he won the Player of the Series award and took a step up on the latest rankings released on Wednesday. The 26-year-old jumped a massive 20 ratings points to surpass Kohli and now has a career-best 815 ratings points.

This is certainly still behind Babar’s 892 rating points, in which the Pakistan captain maintained his massive lead at the top of the ODI batsman rankings after his 17th ODI century in the opening match against the West Indies.

There have also been some other ups and downs inside the top 10, with Aaron Finch moving up to ninth place, as Australia teammate David Warner dropped to 10th place – while England’s Jonny Bairstow is down two places to eighth and South Africa’s Rasie Van Der Dussen has jumped one place to be in seventh place.

There is even more good news for Pakistan in the latest ICC bowlers rankings as pacer Shaheen Afridi has jumped two places to the fourth position after a good series with the ball against the West Indies.

New Zealand pacer Trent Boult continues to top the bowlers rankings, but Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood and Kiwi teammate Matt Henry have jumped one place to second and third place respectively.

Oman’s Zeeshan Maqsood has set a big trend in the all-rounder rankings. ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 has jumped 13 places to 10th position after impressive performances in action. The veteran 34-year-old scored an unbeaten century against Nepal earlier this month and then took four wickets with the ball in Oman’s next match against the USA.