Pakistan Reclaims ICC ODI No. 1 Rank Post Afghanistan Whitewash

Pakistan’s return to the top spot in the Men’s ODI Rankings was confirmed by the ICC on Saturday following their complete dominance over Afghanistan in the series. Pakistan secured a 3-0 lead in the series. Their first ODI victory was by a substantial 142-run margin, mainly due to an exceptional bowling performance. The second match was a tense contest, with Pakistan narrowly clinching a victory in the final over, holding just one wicket in hand.

In the third game, Pakistan emerged triumphant by 59 runs, propelled by a strong performance in the latter part of their batting innings. Despite facing challenges in the middle, Pakistan finished strongly on a sluggish pitch, amassing a total of 268 runs. Key contributions came from Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, both scoring half-centuries.

Congratulations! Top-ranked ODI side 🙌#AFGvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/3P1OmA8tqf

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 26, 2023

Facing Pakistan’s target, Faheem Ashraf claimed two early wickets, while the spinners consistently took wickets to keep Afghanistan in check. Although Mujeeb ur Rahman’s swift half-century off 26 balls provided some resistance, Afghanistan couldn’t overcome Pakistan’s competitive total.

Shadab’s three-wicket haul further limited Afghanistan’s progress as Pakistan secured a clean sweep in the series.