Shakib replaces Rashid as No. 1 all-rounder in ODIs

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has ascended to the top of the ICC ODI Rankings for all-rounders, ahead of the World Cup which begins on May 30 in England and Wales.

The 32-year-old was in fine form during the tri-nation series in Ireland, which Bangladesh won to claim their first title in a multi-nation tournament. In three matches of that series, Shakib scored 140 runs, including two unbeaten half-centuries, to go alongside two wickets.

He now has 359 points, 20 clear of Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, the previous holder of the top ranking, who has now slipped to the second spot. Rashid's Afghanistan team-mate Mohammad Nabi rounds out the top three, with 319 points.

Pakistan are the only other team to have two players in the top ten, with Imad Wasim at number 4 and Mohammad Hafeez claiming the seventh spot. They are separated by New Zealand's Mitchell Santner (number 5) and England's Chris Woakes, who is up four places to the sixth place.

Jason Holder, the West Indies skipper, is their top-ranked all-rounder, at number eight. England's Ben Stokes, who is expected to be their MVP at the World Cup, missed out on the top ten by one spot, finishing eight points behind Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews.

--IANS

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