Hafeez Tops Cricket Bowler List

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez was named the top bowler in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) One Day International (ODI). The all-rounder replaced South Africa paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe as the top-ranked bowler in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, which were released on Monday after a one-off ODI between Australia and Afghanistan. This was quite an honor for Hafeez, who is Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain. He was given the top spot just a day before Pakistan’s three-match one-day series against Australia.

Hafeez and Tsotsobe swapped places on the bowlers’ rankings after the first match in the England-South Africa ODI series at Cardiff on August 24, which was abandoned due to rain. Tsotsobe ended with figures of 2.3-0-18-0 in the rain-affected game, and he now trails Hafeez by just two ratings points in the bowlers’ table. Hafeez and Tsotobe will, however, get a fair opportunity to either retain or reclaim the number-one spot in the coming weeks.

Hafeez will be playing in a three-match ODI series against Australia that starts on Tuesday (today) in Sharjah, UAE, while Tsotsobe resumes duties in the series against England, also from 28 August. Hafeez, Pakistan’s ODI vice-captain, is one of his team’s most experienced players for the series against Australia. He is at the top of his game and is also the highest-ranked Pakistani allrounder on the ICC computer. He is at number three in the all-rounder’s list, a spot ahead of his countryman Shahid Afridi. Pakistan will be taking the field against Australia with a potent spin arsenal which also includes Saeed Ajmal present ranked number three in the ODI bowlers’ list.

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