Pakistan have moved up to fourth place in the ICC Men’s ODI team rankings, overtaking Australia after securing consecutive victories against Sri Lanka and England in the ongoing ODI tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan have climbed to fourth with 103 rating points, while South Africa occupy third place with 104 points. India remain at the top of the rankings with 115 points, followed by New Zealand in second place with 109.
The latest improvement comes after Pakistan registered an emphatic 87-run victory over England on Tuesday, extending their winning run in the tournament.
All-rounder Arafat Minhas was the standout performer, scoring 59 off 58 deliveries before claiming career-best figures of 6/40 to dismantle England’s batting line-up.
Hasan Nawaz top-scored for Pakistan with 79 off 74 balls, while Faheem Ashraf provided a late flourish with a quickfire 39 off 26 deliveries. Saad Baig also made a valuable contribution, scoring 35 as Pakistan recovered from 81-4 to post a competitive total of 302-9.
In response, England were bowled out for 215, falling well short of their 303-run target despite contributions from Tom Banton, who scored 57, and Ben Duckett, who added 45.
Minhas played a decisive role in England’s collapse, claiming crucial wickets, including those of Will Jacks and Adil Rashid in successive deliveries. He subsequently ran out Gus Atkinson to complete a remarkable all-round display and seal Pakistan’s convincing victory.
Pakistan will look to maintain their momentum in the tri-series as they aim to strengthen their position in the ICC ODI rankings.