{
  "id": 16352093,
  "title": "Afghanistan leapfrog England in ICC ODI rankings, reclaim their all-time high position after a year",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/afghanistan-leapfrog-england-in-icc-odi-rankings-reclaim-their-all",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-24T17:50:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/afghanistan-leapfrog-england-icc-odi-175000315.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Afghanistan have ascended to seventh position in the latest ICC Men's ODI team rankings, overtaking England following their triumphant victory in the tri-series final. This surge places Afghanistan at their highest-ever ranking, previously attained in May 2025. The team boasts an impressive rating of 94 points, leading England by one point, who now find themselves in eighth place with 93 points. In the pivotal tri-series final, held in Sharjah, Afghanistan demonstrated their prowess by defeating Zimbabwe by a margin of seven wickets. The chase, completed in a brisk 34.3 overs, ended at a commanding 170, thanks to a stellar performance by Ibrahim Zadran, who scored an unbeaten 70 off just 96 balls. Rahmat Shah and Rahmanullah Gurbaz also contributed significantly, scoring 43 and 36 respectively. Zadran's outstanding batting was supported by Rashid Khan's outstanding bowling, who claimed 3 wickets for 41 runs. The victory was a testament to Afghanistan's bowling strength, with Rashid Khan picking up 3/41 and Mohammad Nabi picking up 2 wickets for 25 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Bilal Sami added 2 wickets each. Ibrahim Zadran was recognized as Player of the Match, while Rashid Khan earned Player of the Series honors after taking 11 wickets during the tournament. This climb to seventh position not only marks a significant milestone in Afghanistan's journey but also adds an intriguing twist to the rankings. Afghanistan's rise to this position highlights their growing stature as a formidable force in ODI cricket, especially as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup.",
  "summary": "Afghanistan has risen to seventh place in the latest ICC Men's ODI team rankings after defeating Zimbabwe. This victory marks their equal all-time highest ranking, first achieved in May 2025. They bowled Zimbabwe out for 169 runs, completing a comfortable chase led by Ibrahim Zadran's unbeaten 70 runs. India continues to lead the rankings, followed by New Zealand and South Africa.",
  "key_points": [
    "Afghanistan leapfrog England to seventh in ICC ODI rankings",
    "Afghanistan's highest-ever ranking since May 2025",
    "Ibrahim Zadran scores unbeaten 70 in decisive tri-series final"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Afghanistan leapfrog England in ODI rankings, reclaim their all-time high position",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/afghanistan-leapfrog-england-in-odi-rankings-reclaim-their-all-time",
        "published": "2026-10-24T12:20:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}