Top ranked performers from each team rated ahead of World Cup

Photo: ICC

The following is a list highlighting the best performers in each category of the MRF Tyres ODI Player Rankings that will be in action at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

Afghanistan

Top ranked batter: Ibrahim Zadran (#18)
Top ranked bowler: Mujeeb Ur Rahman (#3)
Top ranked all-rounder: Mohammad Nabi (#2)

Afghanistan have two players inside the top three in the ODI rankings category, with former captain Mohammad Nabi leading the way as the No.2 ranked all-rounder.

Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is third in the ODI bowler rankings, while fellow tweaker Rashid Khan (fourth) is not far behind in this category. Young right-hander Ibrahim Zadran is Afghanistan’s highest rated batter at 18.

Australia 

Top ranked batter: David Warner (#6)
Top ranked bowler: Josh Hazlewood (#2)
Top ranked all-rounder: Josh Hazlewood (#14)

In-form veteran David Warner continues to show great consistency at ODI level and is currently rated the highest Australian player on the list of ODI batters in sixth.

Experienced seamer Josh Hazlewood recently lost the No.1 ranking for bowlers to India’s Mohammed Siraj, but the right-armer remains second in this category and surprisingly high 14th in the list for all-rounders.

Bangladesh

Top ranked batter: Mushfiqur Rahim (#21)
Top ranked bowler: Shakib Al Hasan (#17)
Top ranked all-rounder: Shakib Al Hasan (#1)

Evergreen skipper Shakib Al Hasan continues to re-write the record books on the eve of his fifth World Cup. with the Bangladesh star still holding on to the No.1 ranking in the category for ODI all-rounders.

Shakib has previously appeared at the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 editions and amazingly held on to the No.1 ODI all-rounder ranking at the start of every tournament since his second appearance in 2011.

The veteran is also Bangladesh’s highest ranked bowler at 17, while Mushfiqur Rahim has their best ranking for batters at 21.

England

Top ranked batter: Dawid Malan (#14)
Top ranked bowler: Chris Woakes (#12)
Top ranked all-rounder: Chris Woakes (equal #11)

The ever-consistent Dawid Malan is England’s highest ranked batter, although skipper Jos Buttler (#17) is just three rungs behind the experienced No.3 and sure to press hard during the World Cup.

Reliable quick Chris Woakes holds the best ranking in both the bowling and all-rounder category, which isn’t a huge surprise since the tall right-armer was a major reason why England won the most recent World Cup when he claimed 16 scalps at the 2019 event.

India 

Top ranked batter: Shubman Gill (#2)
Top ranked bowler: Mohammed Siraj (#1)
Top ranked all-rounder: Hardik Pandya (#7)

India are the only side at the World Cup that can boast to have a player inside the top 10 in each ranking category and newly-crowned No.1 ranked bowler Mohammed Siraj leads the way following his match-winning spell against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final earlier this month.

That catapulted Siraj past Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood and into the top ranking for ODI bowlers, while young gun Shubman Gill is within just 10 rating points of claiming the No.1 ranking for batters from Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. The experienced Hardik Pandya is also inside the top 10 in the all-rounder category.

Netherlands 

Top ranked batter: Scott Edwards (#39)
Top ranked bowler: Logan van Beek (#51)
Top ranked all-rounder: Bas de Leede (#49)

Emerging star Bas de Leede is the Netherlands’ highest ranked all-rounder, but don’t be surprised to see the talented 23-year-old turn a few heads with his performances in India if he can continue the form that saw him dominate the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament earlier in the year.

Reliable captain Scott Edwards remains the Netherlands’ best in the ODI batter rankings at No.39, while seamer Logan van Beek holds the premier spot for the Dutch for bowlers.

New Zealand 

Top ranked batter: Kane Williamson (equal #28)
Top ranked bowler: Trent Boult (#5)
Top ranked all-rounder: Mitchell Santner (equal #11)

The Kiwis have two players inside the top 10 of the ODI bowling rankings, with underrated left-armer Trent Boult leading the way in fifth ahead of fellow pacer Matt Henry in ninth.

Skipper Kane Williamson remains the leading New Zealand player on the list for batters at equal 28th despite his recent injury woes, while Mitchell Santner is equal 11th on the rankings for ODI all-rounders.

Pakistan

Top ranked batter: Babar Azam (#1)
Top ranked bowler: Shaheen Afridi (#8)
Top ranked all-rounder: Shadab Khan (#13)

Babar Azam has been a mainstay at the top of the ODI batter rankings in recent times and it comes as no surprise that the Pakistan skipper heads into this year’s World Cup hanging on to the premier position.

The always dangerous Shaheen Afridi is comfortably nestled inside the top 10 of the bowler rankings, while Shadab Khan goes about his business with a minimum of fuss in 13th position on the list for ODI all-rounders.

South Africa

Top ranked batter: Rassie van der Dussen (#3)
Top ranked bowler: Keshav Maharaj (#14)
Top ranked all-rounder: Aiden Markram (equal #23)

Middle-order performer Rassie van der Dussen has been holding his ground near the top of the ODI batter rankings in recent times and the right-hander enters the World Cup with just Babar Azam and Shubman Gill in front of him in the current list.

Experienced tweaker Keshav Maharaj is 14th on the list for ODI bowlers, while Aiden Markram continues to thrive at international level and hods on the equal 23rd ranking for all-rounders.

Sri Lanka 

Top ranked batter: Charith Asalanka (#27)
Top ranked bowler: Maheesh Theekshana (#16)
Top ranked all-rounder: Dhananjaya de Silva (#17)

With star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga injured and set to miss the World Cup, much of Sri Lanka’s fortunes with the ball will fall to fellow tweaker Maheesh Theekshana (16th on the current ODI rankings for bowlers).

It’s Charith Asalanka that is Sri Lanka’s highest ranked batter at 27, while Dhananjaya de Silva occupies their best slot in the all-rounder ranks at 17.