New Delhi, Sep 10: England’s pace spearhead Jofra Archer has climbed an impressive 16 slots to reach a career-best third place in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after producing two stunning spells in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa.
Despite England losing the series 2-1 – their first home series loss to the Proteas since 1998 – Archer’s return to form was a major positive.
Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma Hold No.1 Positions
India continues to dominate the batting charts, with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma holding firm at the top of ODI and T20I rankings respectively. Gill leads with 784 points, ahead of Rohit Sharma (756), while Abhishek Sharma commands the T20I table with 829 points, followed by Tilak Varma (804) and England’s Phil Salt (791).
Both Gill and Abhishek are expected to play key roles in India’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign in the UAE, where they will spearhead the Men in Blue’s batting unit.
Archer’s Stunning Return
The Barbados-born quick registered 4/62 in the second ODI and followed it up with 4/18 in the third match, which England won by a record 342 runs at Southampton. His fiery spells not only handed England a consolation win but also marked his highest-ever position in the ICC rankings, surpassing his previous best of eighth in September 2020.
England’s spin maestro Adil Rashid also gained ground, jumping seven slots to eighth place after an eight-wicket haul in the series at an average of just 9.00.
South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj, meanwhile, continues to lead the ODI bowling charts, cementing his place at the top after consistent performances at Lord’s and Southampton.
Joe Root Back in Top 20
Veteran batter Joe Root proved his worth yet again, scoring 61 and 100 in the last two matches of the series. His efforts propelled him five slots higher to 19th place, re-entering the top 20 for the first time since 2022. England skipper Jos Buttler also improved, moving to 35th, while South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke made headlines by jumping 44 slots to 64th after a consistent run of fifties.
Pakistan Shine in UAE Tri-Nation Series
Pakistan’s triumph in the UAE T20I Tri-Nation Series against Afghanistan and the hosts saw several of their players earn ranking boosts.
- Fakhar Zaman rose nine places to 68th in T20I batting.
- Wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem jumped to 15th, while Abrar Ahmed rocketed up 39 places to joint 27th after bagging 4/9 against UAE.
- Shaheen Afridi climbed four places to 22nd.
- Player of the Series Mohammad Nawaz soared 13 slots to 30th after a match-winning five-for (including a hat-trick) in the final against Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad also enjoyed a meteoric rise, moving up 40 slots to joint 33rd.
Other Movers
- Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera gained three spots to ninth following his unbeaten half-century against Zimbabwe.
- Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza climbed to fourth place in the ICC T20I All-Rounders Rankings, highlighting his consistent all-round brilliance.