Indian quick Mohammed Siraj and Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood shared top spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings ahead of World Cup 2023.
The two fast bowlers are level on 669 ranking points after Siraj dropped 11 points during the third ODI of the recent series between India and Australia to finish equal with Hazlewood.
Siraj returned to the India line-up for the third ODI but paid the price in the rankings for leaking 68 runs from nine overs as Australia piled on 352/7 for a much-needed victory.
Hazlewood remained steady on 669 ranking points after taking 2/42 in eight overs against India in the same ODI.
The pacers will have an opportunity to press their claims for top spot in the rankings when India and Australia kick off their World Cup campaign against each other on 8 October.
Afghanistan spin twins Mujeeb Ur Rahman (third place with 657 ranking points) and Rashid Khan (fourth, 655) are next best in the ODI bowling rankings.
Shaheen Afridi (632) climbed higher among the leading ODI bowlers, up two spots to sixth while swapping places with Mitchell Starc (628) who dropped to eighth.
The left-arm strike bowlers are set to face-off in an enthralling clash when Pakistan and Australia meet at the World Cup on 20 October.
Mohammad Nabi (621) and Kuldeep Yadav (616) also swapped spots with the Afghanistan off-spinner moving up one place and into the top-10 of the ODI bowling rankings.
Kuldeep will have an opportunity to reclaim his top-10 ranking on the familiar spin-friendly decks of India.
Australia veteran David Warner is the big mover inside the top-10 of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings in the latest update off the back of three consecutive fifties in India.
Warner’s commanding form including 56 runs from 34 balls in the third ODI has pushed the left-hander two places higher to equal-fourth alongside Harry Tector of Ireland on 729 ranking points.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (857 ranking points) holds onto top spot ahead of Shubman Gill (839) and Rassie van der Dussen (743), while his teammate Imam-ul-Haq (728) drops one place to fifth.
There has been no movement in the top-10 of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI All-rounder Rankings, with Bangladesh stalwart Shakib Al Hasan still in top spot on 349 ranking points ahead of Nabi (302 ranking points).
But Glenn Maxwell looms large over both the all-rounder rankings and Australia’s hopes at the World Cup, as the star made an immediate impact on return to the side after overcoming injury.
Maxwell reminded India of the threat he could pose in their World Cup opener with the off-spinner taking 4/40 in the third ODI between the teams, as he climbed 10 places to 11th in the all-rounder rankings.
