Babar Azam trumps Virat Kohli to become No.1 ranked ODI batsman
Pakistan ODI skipper Babar Azam has overtaken Indian captain Virat Kohli to become the No.1 ranked ODI batsman in the world. The latest rankings for ODI batsmen were released by the ICC on Wednesday.
ICC took to social media to reveal the news of Babar Azam eclipsing Virat Kohli. Babar Azam now has 865 points as compared to Virat Kohli, who drops to second place with 857 points. It means Virat Kohli 1,258 day-supremacy at the top of the ODI rankings finally comes to an end.
Babar Azam’s move to the top of the ODI rankings charts comes on the back of his stunning performance against South Africa. The skipper scored 228 runs at an average of 78 in the 2-1 series win against South Africa, ending as the second-highest run-scorer in the series.
Virat Kohli, on the other hand, had a forgettable ODI series against England. The Indian skipper’s quest for an ODI century continued, with Virat Kohli scoring just 129 runs across three games at an average of 43.
With the update, Babar Azam becomes just the fourth Pakistani batsman to clinch the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen. Before Azam, Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003) were ranked No. 1 ODI batsmen in the world.
Fakhar Zaman breaks into the top 10 as he mirrors Babar Azam's rise
Babar Azam isn't the only batsman to gain big courtesy of the South Africa vs Pakistan series. Opener Fakhar Zaman breaks into the top 10 as well, climbing from 12th place to seventh in the rankings. Zaman finished as the highest run-getter in the series, scoring 302 runs in three innings for Pakistan.
Fakhar Zaman’s inclusion into the top ten means Quinton de Kock drops out of the group. The wicket-keeper was part of just the first two ODIs before departing for the IPL, where Quinton de Kock scored 100 runs across the two games. Fakhar Zaman’s seventh-place rank means Faf du Plessis, David Warner and Shai Hope all drop down a spot as a result.