Maheesh Theekshana reached a career-best third place in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings after taking seven wickets in the final two matches of their three-ODI series against New Zealand, with the Kiwis winning 2-1. The ICC released the latest player rankings yesterday.
He moved up four spots after taking 4 for 44 in the second match in Hamilton, where New Zealand won by 113 runs, and 3 for 35 in the third match in Auckland, which Sri Lanka won by 140 runs. He also took a hat-trick in the third game, becoming the seventh Sri Lankan bowler to do so in ODIs. Theekshana’s 663 rating points are just six less than top-ranked Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan (669) in a pack of four at the top, who are within seven points of each other. Indian Kuldeep Yadav is second with 665 points, while Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi follows the three spinners with 662 points.
New Zealand seam bowler Matt Henry returns to the top 10 after winning the Player of the Series award for taking nine wickets in the series, while left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner has moved up two places to 15th with three wickets in the last two matches.
Sri Lankan fast bowler Asitha Fernando’s Player of the Match performance of 3 for 26 in the final match has lifted him into the top 100.
In the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra moved up 11 places to 39th with 79 in the second match, while Mark Chapman entered the top 100 with scores of 62 and 81. Janith Liyanage climbed 11 spots to 57th after scoring a half-century in the final match.