AB de Villiers, Hasan Ali rise to top of ICC ODI rankings

AB de Villiers scored 176 runs from 104 balls against Bangladesh. (Source: CSA Twitter File)

AB de Villiers returned to action for South Africa against Bangladesh and almost instantly made an impact with 176 runs from 104 balls and has been rewarded by returning to the number one spot in the ODI rankings. His explosive knock in the second ODI against Bangladesh gave South Africa a 2-0 series lead and took the Proteas over India in the ODI Team rankings.

During his 176 run knock, de Villiers hit 15 fours and seven sixes to go past David Warner and Virat Kohli. This is the 14th time that de Villiers is the top ranked ODI batsman. He first climbed to the top spot on May 30, 2010 and he has now spent the second most number of days as World No 1 after retired West Indies legend Vivian Richards. De Villiers has now been at the top for 2,124 days while Richards was number one for 2,306 days.

Among the bowlers, Hasan Ali’s record fifer coming at the expense of 34 runs against Sri Lanka in the third ODI has given him a massive bump in the bowler rankings. His nine wickets so far in the five match series have Pakistan in the lead by 3-0 and taken him six spots up to the top spot. He has now become the fifth bowler to attain the top spot this year after Trent Boult, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada and Josh Hazlewood.

In the latest rankings update which take into consideration the first two ODIs between South Africa-Bangladesh and three between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, other significant movers are Babar Azam who has bumped up to a career best fourth place, Quinton de Kock up to fifth and Hashim Amla to ninth.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez is once again back as the top all-rounder having edged Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan. Hafeez had first attained the top ranking in January 2013 and he has made the spot his own for the ninth time.

In the team rankings, India will have a chance to wrestle back the top spot once again when the series against New Zealand begins on Sunday. Both South Africa and India have 120 points with the Proteas ahead on decimal points. They can make that 121 points if they beat Bangladesh on Sunday to inflict yet another clean sweep at home. But India will have the advantage as a win in the first ODI will give them the lead again. An India win would take them to 121 points but will edge South Africa on decimal points. The hosts can take outright lead over South Africa if they win 3-0.

ICC Team Rankings

1. South Africa – 120 points
2. India – 120 points
3. Australia – 114 points
4. England – 114 points
5. New Zealand – 111 points
6. Pakistan – 98 points
7. Bangladesh – 92 points
8. Sri Lanka – 84 points
9. West Indies – 77 points
10. Afghanistan – 54 points
11. Zimbabwe – 52 points
12. Ireland – 41 points

Top 10 Batsmen Rankings

1. Ab de Villiers – 879 points
2. Virat Kohli – 877 points
3. David Warner – 865 points
4. Babar Azam – 833 points
5. Quinton de Kock – 802 points
6. Joe Root – 802 points
7. Rohit Sharma – 790 points
8. Kane Williamson – 779 points
9. Hashim Amla – 770 points
10. Faf du Plessis – 754 points

Top 10 Bowler’s Rankings

1. Hasan Ali – 743 points
2. Imran Tahir – 726 points
3. Josh Hazlewood – 714 points
4. Kagiso Rabada – 703 points
5. Mitchell Starc – 684 points
6. Jasprit Bumrah – 671 points
7. Trent Boult – 665 points
8. Axar Patel – 663 points
9. Rashid Khan – 647 points
10. Sunil Narine – 646 points