Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj has moved to first position in the International Cricket Council’s rankings for ODI bowlers.
Maharaj has displaced Indian seamer Mohammed Siraj, who has moved to second position.
Maharaj is currently with South Africa for the ongoing Cricket World Cup in India. He has taken 14 wickets in nine matches at the tournament.
“The competitiveness of the Cricket World Cup has made it difficult for bowlers to hold on to their top spot,” read a statement from the ICC.
“On 1 November, Shaheen Afridi claimed the top spot in the rankings but his reign lasted all of one week after Mohammed Siraj toppled him on 8 November.
“Less than a week later, a new number one emerged with South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj climbing the charts to the summit, with the Proteas spinner rising from number two, while Siraj moved down a spot from the top.
The 2023 Cricket World Cup semi-finals will be played this week. India and New Zealand will contest the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. South Africa will play Australia in the second semi-final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. The final will be played in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
“The World Cup now heads into the knockout stages and the rankings could see even more changes come next week with seven of the top 10 in the batting and bowling rankings featuring in the semi-finals,” added the ICC.