Dubai, July 29 (TNS): Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has entered into the top-20 for the first time in his career in the ICC ODI Player Rankings.
The rankings were released on Sunday following the conclusion of the West Indies-Bangladesh series and also incorporate player performances from the Zimbabwe-Pakistan series.
Zaman scored 515 runs in the series and has gained a total of 22 places to move into 16th position. When the player rankings were last updated on July 17 following the England versus India series, and the three ODIs between Zimbabwe and Pakistan, Zaman was 24th but his knocks of 210 not out in the fourth ODI and 85 in the final ODI helped him to gain eight more places.
Zaman is now the second Pakistan batsman to feature in the top-20 after Babar Azam reclaimed the second spot. Babar now leads England’s Joe Root by seven points, while the list is headed by India’s Virat Kohli.
Zaman’s opening partner Imamul Haq has also made a massive impact in the latest player rankings.
Imam had gained 70 places after the first three ODIs, and moved up another 51 spots to finish the Zimbabwe tour in the 43rd position. In the five ODIs, the 22-year-old has gained 121 positions, thanks to his series aggregate of 395 runs that also included three centuries.
In the bowling table, Pakistan wrist-spinner Shadab Khan and fast bowler Faheem Ashraf have made upward movements. Both bowlers collected nine wickets apiece in the series, and as such, Shadab has finished in 31st position (he started the series in 53rd position) and Faheem has ended up in 79th position (he started the series ranked 149th).
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s old war horses, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza, have been rewarded for steering their side to a 2-1 series victory over the West Indies.
