Saim Ayub, Agha Salman rise in ICC ODI rankings

Saim Ayub and Salman Agha put on 141 for the fifth wicket. Photo: AFP

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Pakistan’s cricketers Agha Salman and Saim Ayub have made significant progress in the latest ICC ODI rankings, following their remarkable performances in recent matches.

Emerging batter Saim Ayub, who was awarded Player of the Series in Pakistan’s 3-0 victory against South Africa, has climbed an impressive 57 places to secure the 23rd position with 603 points.

His consistent performances, including two centuries in the series, have solidified his reputation as one of cricket’s rising stars.

Vice-captain Agha Salman also enjoyed a noteworthy rise, moving up 28 places to claim the 80th position with 468 points. His vital contributions with the bat further showcased his growing importance to the team.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam maintained his dominance in ODI cricket, retaining his position as the world’s top-ranked batter.

This marks the fourth consecutive year Babar has held this title, despite facing recent challenges in form. He bounced back with two half-centuries in the South Africa series, reaffirming his stature as a cricketing icon.

Mohammad Rizwan also moved up three places in the ODI batter rankings, climbing to 21st with 612 points. However, Abdullah Shafique faced a significant drop, falling 21 spots to 98th after a disappointing series marked by three consecutive ducks.

In the ODI bowling rankings, Naseem Shah made notable progress, jumping 10 places to reach the 51st spot. Haris Rauf slipped one spot to 16th, while Mohammad Wasim Jr remains ranked 61st.

Shaheen Afridi fell to third in the rankings for ODI bowlers, overtaken by India’s Kuldeep Yadav, with Rashid Khan retaining the top position.

In T20I rankings, Saim Ayub advanced to 57th place among batters, while Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan maintained their positions at sixth and eighth, respectively. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, however, saw slight declines in their T20I bowling standings.

The ICC Test rankings also reflected changes for Pakistan’s players. Babar Azam moved up two places to 15th in the batter rankings, while Agha Salman and Mohammad Rizwan improved to 18th and 19th, respectively. Naseem Shah and Noman Ali also recorded slight improvements in their Test bowling positions.

The latest ICC rankings highlight the continued evolution of Pakistan’s cricketing talents, with emerging stars like Saim Ayub and Agha Salman complementing seasoned players like Babar Azam.

Saim Ayub becames one of the few cricketers to score three ODI centuries before turning 23, joining an elite list alongside players like Pakistan's Salman Butt and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.

Saim now has his sights set on climbing even further, as the Champions Trophy approaches in February and the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand in March offers him more opportunities.

The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the highly-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy schedule with matches are slated to be played at four venues, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Dubai.

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