Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai claims top in ODI ranking

Dubai: Afghanistan star Azmatullah Omarzai has completed his climb to the top of the ICC’s all-rounder rankings.

Here are the notable rises, across all disciplines.

The emergence of world-class talent Azmatullah Omarzai has been fast and furious.

The Afghanistan all-rounder, who will turn just 25 later this month, is now in unchartered waters, moving to the top of an ICC Rankings list, according to a ICC media release.

Following a blistering ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, which included a maiden five-wicket haul against England and a 50 against Australia, Omarzai has become the world’s top-ranked all-rounder.

He also dethroned teammate Mohammad Nabi in the process, who drops to second on the list.

The right-armer rose two spots and claimed a career-high rating points total of 296.

India’s Axar Patel was the other big all-rounder to rise, moving up 17 spots to 13th and registering a career-high 194 ratings points.

Omarzai was also one of the key climbers in the latest ODI batter rankings, off the back of his 126 total runs in the Champions Trophy. He moved up 12 spots to 24th (598 rating points).

Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy campaign allowed a number of their stars to blossom, as Ibrahim Zadran also made a bold climb up the batting rankings. The 23-year-old smashed 177 runs against England in Lahore, moving up 13 spots into 10th (676 rating points).

Australia’s Steve Smith also collected a good dose of rating points, climbing six spots to 16th after his batting contributions at the Champions Trophy.

Another high-profile veteran, Kiwi Kane Williamson, also made a move, climbing eight spots to 29th.

India opener Shubman Gill remains in No 1 ranking for ODI batters, with teammate Virat Kohli moving up to fourth following his Player of the Match heroics against Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Dubai.

New Zealander Matt Henry has been rewarded for his superb tournament, rising three spots and onto the podium of the bowling rankings.

Henry is now in third (649 rating points), behind Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana (first) and South Africa tweaker Keshav Maharaj (second).

The resurgence of Indian seamer Mohammed Shami at the Champions Trophy sees him move up three spots to 11th (609 ratings points), while South Africa’s Marco Jansen (up nine spots to 18th) and England’s Jofra Archer (up 13 spots to equal-19th).