Daryl Mitchell Ends Rohit Sharma’s Brief Reign as ICC ODI Batting Number One
Daryl Mitchell overtakes Rohit Sharma to become No. 1 in ICC ODI batting rankings.
In a significant shift in the ICC ODI rankings, Daryl Mitchell has displaced Rohit Sharma from the top spot after an outstanding performance in the series opener against the West Indies. The 34-year-old New Zealand cricketer scored a match-winning 119 off 118 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award and propelling him to the No. 1 position for the first time in his career. Mitchell’s rise marks only the second time a New Zealander has topped the ICC ODI batting rankings, the first being Glenn Turner in 1979.
Mitchell's ascent reflects his consistent form, highlighted by his seventh ODI century, which proved decisive for New Zealand in their victory. His new ranking points total is 782, just one point ahead of Rohit Sharma’s 781, whose brief reign at the top lasted only 22 days. This prodigious achievement also marks a historic moment for New Zealand cricket, as only a handful of their players, including Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, have previously reached the top five, with Turner and Mitchell having held the No. 1 position.
The shift in rankings comes amid a busy international cricket calendar, with performances of players from various nations influencing the standings. Alongside Mitchell's rise, Pakistani players Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman moved up to 22nd and 26th positions respectively after impactful series against Sri Lanka. Similarly, Pakistani bowler Abrar Ahmed achieved a career-best ninth position after taking three wickets in a recent ODI.
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Other notable movements include Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto climbing to 34th and Mahmudul Hasan Joy surging to 74th in the batting rankings. In the bowling charts, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf moved up five places to 23rd, and Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja moved to career-best positions of 13th and 15th respectively. Such shifts underscore the dynamic nature of the ICC rankings, which reflect ongoing performances on the international stage.
The rankings highlight Mitchell’s emergence as a premier ODI player and mark a historic milestone for New Zealand cricket, with the ICC’s official updates confirming the new pecking order in international cricket’s most competitive format.
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