Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit faced a mixed bag of fortunes in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings update, released on Wednesday, following a bruising 3–0 series defeat to New Zealand. While young pacer Naseem Shah emerged as a silver lining, climbing five spots to 43rd with 494 rating points, his teammates Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Jr. saw significant declines after lackluster performances on the tour.
Rauf, once a spearhead of Pakistan’s attack, dropped two places to 24th, now holding 555 points, while Wasim Jr. plummeted six spots to 71st with 423 points. The series whitewash underscored Pakistan’s ongoing challenges in the 50-over format, with spinner Abrar Ahmed also slipping one position to 57th.Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped to 12th, missing since the Champions Trophy, deepening the struggles of an inconsistent pace unit.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s dominance was reflected in their players’ gains. Fast bowler Ben Sears stole the spotlight, rocketing 64 places up the bowling rankings after a sensational series haul of 10 wickets, including a five-for in the final match. Eli Sears, crowned Player of the Series, showcases his soaring prominence in global cricket. Stand-in skipper Michael Bracewell also shone, leaping two places to fifth in the all-rounder rankings, buoyed by 85 runs—featuring a crucial half-century—and two wickets.
The rankings shake-up comes as Pakistan grapples with form and fitness concerns ahead of key ICC events, while New Zealand’s squad depth continues to impress. For Naseem Shah, the upward trajectory offers hope amid a turbulent period for Pakistan cricket, signaling his potential as a future linchpin in an otherwise faltering bowling lineup.
