Babar Azam upholds 1st place in ODI batting ranking, Hazlewood gains 2nd place in bowling

DUBAI (92 New) – Australia pace aces Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have rocketed up the ICC ODI bowling rankings in the latest update while Pakistani player Babar Azam upheld the first place in ODI batting ranking.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has climbed to a career-best ranking of second among T20I bowlers.

Hazlewood and Starc were central to Australia’s ODI series win over West Indies, with Hazlewood the most economic bowler from either side and Starc the campaign’s most dangerous bowler by the length of the straight.

Hazlewood, who took five wickets at 5.80 with an economy of 2.07 an over, has surged five places to second on the bowling rankings. He sits behind New Zealand seamer Trent Boult, who leads the Australian 737 rating points to 709. It is the first time Hazlewood has sat second on the rankings since 2018.

Starc, who took 11 wickets at 10.63 and struck every 14.8 deliveries, climbed 10 spots to eighth with 652 rating points. It is the highest Starc has sat on the rankings since early 2020 but such was the left-armer’s form against West Indies that coach Justin Langer hailed him the best white-ball bowler in the world.

“I think Mitchell Starc is the best white ball bowler in the world,” Langer said after Australia’s series win.

“He bowls up front, swings the ball. He is the best bowler at the death in the world. He is great to have in our team. The combination with him and Josh Hazlewood is a real plus for us.”

Hasaranga, who sat third among T20I bowlers before this week’s update, has moved to second with a rating of 720 after taking 2/28 in the series opener against India on Sunday.

There were no major moves in the ODI or T20I batting or all-rounder rankings for the top 10.