RAWALPINDI: Pakistan have climbed to fourth place in the ICC Men’s ODI team rankings, overtaking Australia after consecutive victories over Sri Lanka and England in the ongoing ODI tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan now have 103 rating points, just one behind third-placed South Africa, who have 104. India lead the rankings with 115 points, followed by New Zealand in second place with 109.
The latest rise follows Pakistan’s emphatic 87-run victory over England on Tuesday, extending their winning streak in the tournament.
Arafat Minhas Stars in Pakistan’s Win
All-rounder Arafat Minhas delivered a standout performance, scoring 59 off 58 balls before taking career-best figures of 6/40 to dismantle England’s batting line-up.
Hasan Nawaz top-scored for Pakistan with 79 off 74 deliveries, while Faheem Ashraf added a quickfire 39 off 26 balls. Saad Baig also contributed 35 runs.
Pakistan had slipped to 81-4 but recovered to post a competitive total of 302-9.
England Bowled Out for 215
England failed to chase the 303-run target and were bowled out for 215. Tom Banton scored 57, while Ben Duckett contributed 45, but neither could prevent the defeat.
Minhas played a decisive role in England’s collapse. He dismissed Will Jacks and Adil Rashid on consecutive deliveries before running out Gus Atkinson to complete a remarkable all-round performance.
Pakistan’s back-to-back wins have strengthened their position in the tri-series and lifted them above Australia in the ODI rankings.
The team will now look to maintain its momentum and build on the improvement as the tournament continues.
