Maheesh Theekshana attains career-best third position in ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings

Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana has attained a career-best third position in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings after grabbing seven wickets in the last two matches of their three-ODI series against New Zealand that the home side won 2-1.

Theekshana gained four slots after finishing with four for 44 in the second match in Hamilton New Zealand won by 113 runs and three for 35 in the third match in Auckland that Sri Lanka won by 140 runs. Notably, the spinner also scalped a hat-trick in the Hamilton fixture, becoming the seventh Sri Lanka bowler to achieve the feat in the 50-over format.

Also Read: NZ vs SL 2024-25: Maheesh Theekshana becomes seventh Sri Lankan to bag ODI hattrick

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 is up two places to 15th with three wickets in the last two matches.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando’s Player of the Match effort of three for 26 in the final match has lifted him into the top 100.

In the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, left-hander Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand is up 11 places to 39th after scoring 79 in the second match and Janith Liyanage has progressed 11 places to 57th after getting a half-century in the final match. New Zealand’s Mark Chapman moves into the top 100 after scores of 62 and 81.

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