Pakistan Cricket team is on the edge of becoming the No. 1 ODI Cricket team after stunning win against Afghanistan

Pakistan Cricket team with 117 points is at no. 2 at ICC ranking of ODI cricket team, currently no. 1 spot is with Australian cricket team who has 118 points, just one point ahead of Pakistan. If Pakistan wins the 2nd ODi against Afghanistan that is scheduled to be played on 24 August 2023 then Pakistan Cricket team would be at the top of the ICC ODI ranking suppressing Australian Cricket team.

Analyst are expecting that Pakistan would win the 2nd ODI against Afghanistan and would be at NO. 1 position before that start of the Asia Cup 2023. If that happens then it would be very positive for the Pakistan Cricket team and their fans would be happy around the globe and also they would start the Asia Cup and World cup 2023 positively with high morale.

In the first ODI Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf exceptional bowling figures of 5 for 18 showcased his talent on the field, making it the second-best performance for a Pakistani player in men’s ODIs held in Sri Lanka. Shahid Afridi holds the top position with his remarkable figures of 5 for 16 against Kenya during the 2011 World Cup, which also took place in Hambantota.

Individual Scores Outscoring Opposition Totals

Imam-ul-Haq’s score of 61 in the first ODI is a noteworthy achievement, as it ranks among the joint-fourth lowest individual scores to surpass the total of the opposition in a men’s ODI. This feat has only been matched by players like Darren Lehmann and Andrew Symonds, who managed scores of 50 and 59, respectively, during the 2003 World Cup against Namibia. AB de Villiers also stands out for his score of 52 that outshone Sri Lanka’s 43 all out in 2012 by nine runs. Jacques Rudolph’s unbeaten 61 also deserves a mention for outscoring West Indies’ 54 all out in 2004.

Spinners Make Their Mark

The match saw Afghanistan’s spinners take center stage, claiming a total of eight wickets. This occurrence marked only the sixth instance where Pakistan lost eight or more wickets to spinners in a men’s ODI match. It’s important to note that Pakistan has only once conceded more than eight wickets to spinners, which happened against Bangladesh in 2011 in Chattogram.

Enjoy the highlights of first ODI of Pakistan vs Afghanistan