Rohit Sharma surpasses Babar Azam in the latest International Cricket Council One-Day International (ODI) rankings
Pakistan's ODI Rankings See Mixed Results
In the latest ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings, Pakistan's top-order batter, Babar Azam, has experienced a dip in his ranking, dropping to third position. This decline is primarily due to a series of low scores during Pakistan’s ODI tour of the West Indies.
As of August 20, 2025, Babar Azam is ranked third, having dropped from a previous higher position. Shubman Gill (India) retains the top spot, and Rohit Sharma (India) has climbed to second place, pushing Babar down.
Babar's average in the series was 18.66, leading to a dip in his overall rating points to 751. Saim Ayub, another Pakistan batter, has also seen a drop, falling nine places to 46th.
However, there are some positive developments for Pakistan. Abdullah Shafique, one of the opening batters, improved, climbing seven places to reach the 90th spot with 428 points. Imam-ul-Haq, another batter, dropped to 37th place, but Pakistan's ODI captain, Mohammad Rizwan, maintained his position, moving from 21st to 22nd with 602 points.
On the bowling front, Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan's left-arm pacer, dropped one place to 13th, while Haris Rauf fell three places to 27th. Naseem Shah dropped one step to 43rd, but Abrar Ahmed climbed three places to 54th. Mohammad Wasim Jr fell four places to 71st.
Meanwhile, Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka) continues to be the world's number one ODI bowler, with Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) ranked third. Kuldeep Yadav (India) is currently ranked second in the ICC ODI bowlers' rankings.
The inconsistency in Pakistan's ODI performance is highlighted by Babar's form slump and the team's outcomes in recent series. While Babar remains one of the key players for Pakistan, his drop in rankings signals challenges faced by the team in maintaining stable performances, especially in crucial away tours such as the West Indies series.
The decline in Babar Azam's ranking and Pakistan's overall performance in ODIs may reflect in the team rankings and is an area likely under review for improvements ahead of upcoming series.
References: [1] ICC.com (2025). ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings - August 20, 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/players/mens/odi/batting
[2] Geo.tv (2025). Babar Azam drops to third in ICC ODI rankings after poor show in West Indies. [online] Available at: https://www.geo.tv/latest/388637-babar-azam-drops-to-third-in-icc-odi-rankings-after-poor-show-in-west-indies
Despite Babar Azam's drop to third place in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings, there are some promising signs for Pakistan, such as Abdullah Shafique's climb to the 90th spot. However, the inconsistency in Pakistan's ODI performance, evidenced by Babar's form slump and the team's recent series results, remains a concern, particularly when it comes to crucial away tours.
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