Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai

Dubai, Mar 5: Afghanistan’s young cricket sensation Azmatullah Omarzai has reached a major milestone in his career, claiming the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings following an outstanding ICC Champions Trophy campaign. The 25-year-old has dethroned veteran teammate Mohammad Nabi, marking his rapid rise on the international stage.

Omarzai’s all-round brilliance throughout the tournament, including a maiden five-wicket haul against England and a crucial fifty against Australia, propelled him to the top with a career-high 296 rating points. His impact was not limited to the all-rounder rankings—he also made significant progress in the batting charts, jumping 12 places to No. 24 after amassing 126 runs in the tournament.

India’s Axar Patel was another big mover in the all-rounder category, leaping 17 spots to 13th with a career-best 194 rating points. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill retained his No.1 ranking among ODI batters, with Virat Kohli moving up to fourth after his Player of the Match performance against Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Dubai.

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran, who smashed a stunning 177 against England in Lahore, surged 13 places to break into the top 10 of the ODI batting rankings at No. 10 (676 rating points). New Zealand’s veteran Kane Williamson also made strides, climbing eight spots to 29th.

In the bowling department, New Zealand pacer Matt Henry was rewarded for his exceptional tournament, rising three spots to third (649 rating points), trailing only Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj.

India’s pace spearhead Mohammed Shami continued his resurgence, climbing three places to 11th, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen (up nine spots to 18th) and England’s Jofra Archer (up 13 places to joint-19th) also made significant gains in the latest ICC rankings update.