Taskin achieves career-best ICC ranking during Champions Trophy

Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed has secured his career-best ICC ODI ranking for bowlers, entering the top 30 spots for the first time amidst the Champions Trophy.

Middle order batters Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali also made leaps in the batting rankings despite Bangladesh’s dismal show in the elite tournament so far.

The ICC published the updated men’s rankings on Wednesday.

Taskin grabbed 1-36 in their opener against India in Dubai before bagging 2-28 in 7 overs, including a wicket-maiden, against New Zealand in Rawalpindi.

The returns springboarded the 29-year-old bowler six spots ahead to the 30th spot among ODI bowlers, racking up his highest-ever 528 rating points as well.

His previous best ODI ranking was in 2022 when he rose to 33rd after success against South Africa.

Spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz slipped four places to share the 30th spot with Taskin, while Mustafizur Rahman (507) stayed 36th.

The top three spots in the list remained unchanged with Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana (680) leading the pack, followed by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (658) and India’s Kuldeep Yadav (656).

Among others in the 10, Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi (619) slipped five places to ninth. South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj (641) rose one spot to fourth, New Zealand’s Matt Henry (635) climbed two spots to sixth and Gudakesh Motie (632) moved up one place to seventh.

Among the batters, India’s Shubman Gill (817) consolidated his place at the top of the list with his calm century against Bangladesh. Following a match-winning century against arch-rivals Pakistan, Virat Kohli (743) broke into top five for the first time since August.

India’s KL Rahul (627) moved up two places to 15th in the list, New Zealand’s Will Young (630) leaped eight spots to 14th, Tom Latham (583) jumped 11 places to 30th, Rachin Ravindra (600) soared 18 spots to 24th while Glenn Phillips (587) vaulted 12 positions to 28th.

Aussie batsman Josh Inglis (442) blasted an unbeaten 120 against England in their opener to vault 18 places to 81st.

Hridoy (494) gained 18 steps to 64th after his defiant century against India while Jaker Ali (423) entered the top 100, on 94th, for the first time after 68 against India and 45 against New Zealand.

All other Bangladeshi batsmen slipped in the rankings, including Najmul Hossain Shanto (27th), Mushfiqur Rahim (42nd), Mahmudullah (43rd) and Miraz (75th).

Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi retained the topspot in the allrounders rankings with no changes in the top 10 of the list.