Sikandar Raza becomes No. 1 all-rounder in ICC ODI Rankings
What's the story
Zimbabwe cricketer Sikandar Raza has been crowned the new number one all-rounder in the ICC Men's ODI rankings. The 39-year-old achieved this feat after his back-to-back half-centuries against Sri Lanka in the ODI series at home. He now has a rating of 302 points, surpassing Afghanistan players Azmatullah Omarzai (296) and Mohammad Nabi (292). Although Sri Lanka won both ODIs, Raza made notable contributions.
Match highlights
Raza's stellar performance against Sri Lanka
Raza made a significant contribution in the first ODI on August 29. He scored an impressive 92 runs off 87 balls. He also took a wicket for 48 runs in 10 overs, though the Lankans won by a narrow margin of seven runs. In the second ODI, he remained unbeaten on a quickfire 59 off just 55 balls. However, SL chased down 278 to win the match.
Ranking update
Raza's rise in ODI batting rankings
Raza's stellar performances have not only helped him become the top ODI all-rounder but also boosted his position in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings. He has jumped nine spots to claim the 22nd position. India's Shubman Gill leads the ODI batting rankings with 784 points. He is followed by Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam, and Virat Kohli.