Mitchell becomes First New Zealander Since 1979 to Top ICC ODI Batting Charts

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has been placed at the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, making him the first player from the country to reach the No. 1 position since Glenn Turner achieved the feat in 1979. The rise has been made possible by Mitchell’s match-winning century against the West Indies in Christchurch, where 119 runs were scored by him off 118 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award.

By this performance, Mitchell has been pushed one rating point ahead of India’s Rohit Sharma, whose stint at the top lasted 22 days, and Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran, who had earlier led the table.

Before this, New Zealand players such as Nathan Astle, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson had reached as high as No. 3 in the ODI batting rankings, but the top position had not been held for 46 years.

In other ODI batting movements, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been moved up to sixth place after an unbeaten 102 was scored by him in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. Pakistan batters Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman have also been lifted by five positions each to 22nd and 26th after two half-centuries each were recorded against Sri Lanka.

The ODI bowling rankings have seen a major change with Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed entering the top 10 for the first time. A jump of 11 places has been secured by him, bringing him to ninth position after a three-wicket haul in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. His teammate Haris Rauf has advanced to 23rd place, while the West Indies’ Jayden Seales and Roston Chase have climbed to 20th and 46th positions, respectively.

Significant progress has also been recorded in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been placed at a career-best fifth position among Test batters after an unbeaten 55 in the second innings of the Kolkata Test, which was won by South Africa by 30 runs in the ICC World Test Championship series.

South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer has been boosted by 20 slots to a career-best 24th position following his figures of four for 30 and four for 21 at Eden Gardens. India spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have also gained ground, with Kuldeep moving up to a career-best 13th and Jadeja rising to 15th.

Further gains have been witnessed by Bangladesh players after their innings victory over Ireland in Sylhet. Captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto has moved up four places to 34th, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy has climbed 19 spots to 74th. Ireland’s Paul Stirling has advanced from 96th to 80th.

In the ICC Men’s T20I Rankings, New Zealand’s Tim Robinson has been lifted eight places to a career-best 15th position after scoring 45 runs in the final T20I against the West Indies. Fast bowler Jacob Duffy has been placed at No. 2 among T20I bowlers. Mitchell Santner and Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz have also improved, reaching 18th and 27th positions, respectively.