Daryl Mitchell has become the first player from New Zealand since Glenn Turner in 1979 to top the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings after his match-winning century against the West Indies in their series opener in Christchurch.

The 34-year-old’s 118-ball knock of 119 that won him the Player of the Match award, has helped him overtake Ibrahim Zadran of Afghanistan and edge past Rohit Sharma of India by just one rating point. Rohit’s first reign at the top lasted only 22 days.

While Turner was the last New Zealand player at the top of the ODI batting rankings 46 years ago, players like Nathan Astle, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson have reached as high as number three in the table.

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, who struck an unbeaten 102 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi last week, has moved up one slot to sixth position, while Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman have gained five places each to reach 22nd and 26th positions, respectively, after slamming two half-centuries each against Sri Lanka.

Abrar Ahmed in top 10 for the first time: 

The ODI bowling rankings see Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed attain a career-best ninth position, gaining 11 slots after a three-wicket haul in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf has moved up five places to 23rd while the West Indies’ Jayden Seales (up three places to 20th) and Roston Chase (up 12 places to 46th) have also advanced.

Bavuma, Yadav attain career bests: 

In the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has reached a career-best fifth position among batters after an unbeaten 55 in the second innings of the low-scoring Kolkata Test that his team won by 30 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer’s hauls of four for 30 and four for 21 at the Eden Gardens have lifted him 20 slots to a career-best 24th position while India spinners Kuldeep Yadav (up two places to a career-best 13th position) and Ravindra Jadeja (up four places to 15th) have also moved up the bowling list.

Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto (up four places to 34th) and Mahmudul Hasan Joy (up 19 places to 74th) prosper after their centuries in an innings victory over Ireland in Sylhet. Ireland’s Paul Stirling has progressed from 96th to 80th position.

In the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, New Zealander Tim Robinson’s knock of 45 in the final match against the West Indies has helped him move up eight places to a career-best 15th position and seam bowler Jacob Duffy has inched up from third to second position. Mitchell Santner (up five places to 18th) and Mohammad Nawaz (up four places to 27th) are among others to progress. (ICC)

ODI Batting Rankings:

ODI Bowling Rankings:

ODI Team Rankings:

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that entry to the 2nd Test Match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the SSC Grounds in Colombo will be open to the public free of charge. 

According to an SLC statement, the public can enter the stadium through Gate Nos. 03 and 04 to witness the match. 

The 2nd Test Match of the series will commence at 10:00 AM on Wednesday (25 June) at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. 

This series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–2027 cycle. (Newswire)

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A host of key players have been named as Bangladesh announced a strong squad for their upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman have recovered from injury and have been included in the 16-member playing group, while T20I skipper Litton Das wins a recall after he missed out on the ICC Champions Trophy tournament at the start of the year.

Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Mohammad Naim are also included in the squad, with recently retired duo Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim among the players to drop out of the squad that went winless at the Champions Trophy.

Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said it was important for Das to be given the chance to earn his place back in the ODI side.

“Litton Das was in a bad patch but time is the best healer. He is the T20 captain, so we can consider him till the next T20 World Cup,” Ashraf said.

“If someone has to return to form, it is best to spend a long time in the middle. We feel that Litton can take his form from ODIs to T20Is.”

A total of five fast bowlers are included in Bangladesh’s squad, with Ashraf revealing this was to help Taskin and Rahman return from injury smoothly.

“We have included five fast bowlers in the ODI side as we have Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed are returning from injuries,” he said.

“We are also mindful of Nahid Rana’s workload management, so we have kept enough options to choose from.”

The opening two matches of the series will be held in Colombo on July 2 and July 5, with the series switching to Pallekele for the final match on July 8.

Bangladesh squad: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the dates for the sale of online and physical tickets for the ODI and T20I series of the Bangladesh Tour of Sri Lanka. 

According to the SLC, online match ticket sales for the ODI and T20I series will commence on 24 June, and physical ticket sales will start on 29 June.

The public can visit www.srilankacricket.lk to purchase tickets online. 

Meanwhile, for physical tickets, counters will be opened at the SSC in Colombo, at the Pallekele Grounds in Kandy, and at the Dambulla cricket grounds. 

Details of the ticket sales and prices are as follows; 

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England announced that Harry Brook will take over as the new men’s white-ball skipper on Monday, April 7.

The 26-year-old has been appointed as Jos Buttler’s successor in the white-ball format after the latter resigned from his role following England’s winless Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Brook, who has been part of the white-ball setup since 2022, has been pivotal to England’s batting lineup across formats.

Currently ranked number two in the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, Brook has spent the past year as vice-captain in both ODI and T20I formats.

He made his captaincy debut against Australia last September in Buttler’s absence, earning praise for his tactical awareness and calm leadership. Brook was also the captain of England U19s in the Men’s U19 World Cup 2018.

“It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain,” Brook was quoted by ECB.

“Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley in Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me.

“I want to thank my family and coaches who’ve supported me every step of the way. Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn’t be in this position without them.

“There’s so much talent in this country, and I’m looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups and major events. I’m excited to get going and give it everything I’ve got.”

Buttler’s tenure as captain began on a high note with England’s victory in the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup. However, England have been under the scanner in their recent outings at the ICC tournaments, with a dismal Cricket World Cup in 2023 followed by another unsuccessful title defence at the T20 World Cup in 2024.

During their white-ball tour of India and the Champions Trophy earlier this year, England managed to win only one out of the 11 matches they played across formats, eventually leading to Buttler’s resignation from the captaincy. However, the swashbuckling batter confirmed he will continue to feature across formats.

The new skipper’s first assignment will begin when England take on West Indies at home across three ODIs and as many T20Is from 29 May, followed by a white-ball series against South Africa at home in September. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka’s star female cricketer Chamari Athapaththu has been named in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year 2024.

Describing Chamari Athapaththu, the ICC states;

458 runs and 9 wickets in 9 matches

Chamari Athapaththu had a delayed start to her ODI year, playing her first match in April, but she wasted no time making an impact. She struck a half-century in the second ODI against South Africa before producing a career-best knock of 195* in the final match.

Her outstanding form carried into Sri Lanka’s home series against West Indies, where the team secured a 3-0 clean sweep. Athapaththu played a pivotal role, smashing a brilliant 91 in the final ODI, narrowly missing out on a century by just nine runs.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis has been included in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024.

Kamindu Mendis is the only Sri Lankan cricketer to be named in the Men’s team. Describing the cricketer, the ICC states;

Kamindu Mendis made a triumphant return to Test cricket in 2024 after nearly a two-year hiatus, ensuring his place in the team with a series of stellar performances.

His remarkable year began with a tour of Bangladesh, where he scored centuries in both innings in Sylhet. He followed this up with an unbeaten 92* in the second match, finishing as the series’ top scorer with 367 runs. (Newswire)

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Four Sri Lankan cricketers have been named in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024.

Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka leads the team, with Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Wanindu Hasaranga as the remaining Sri Lankan cricketers in the team.

Describing the Sri Lankan cricketers, the ICC shares; 

-Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

12 Matches, 694 Runs, 210 Highest Score, 63.1 Average, 106.4 Strike Rate, 3 Centuries, 2 Half-Centuries

Nissanka’s 210* in February against Afghanistan was the 6th-highest score by an opener in ODI history, setting up his strong season for the Lions.

Much of his production came in the front half of the year, tonning up twice when Afghanistan toured and then again in Bangladesh in March.

Nissanka scored the second-most One-Day International runs in 2024, behind only team-mate Kusal Mendis.

-Kusal Mendis (WK) (Sri Lanka)

17 Matches, 742 Runs, 143 Highest Score, 53 Average, 90.6 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 6 Half-Centuries

Mendis’ 742 runs were the most scored of any player in ODIs in 2024. His highest score, a 143 against New Zealand in November, was the 27th-highest total by a wicketkeeper in ODI history.

He finished the calendar year with a bang, notching up a total of 217 runs in Sri Lanka’s two ODIs against the Black Caps.

Mendis’ consistency was undeniable, only failing to reach double figures once from 17 innings.

-Charith Asalanka (C) (Sri Lanka)

16 Matches, 605 Runs, 101 Highest Score, 50.2 Average, 97.1 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 4 Half-Centuries

Sri Lankans scoring ODI runs was undoubtedly a theme in 2024, with Asalanka being no exception.

He started the year with a ton against Zimbabwe, his only century of the calendar year, but proceeded to contribute handsomely with the bat, reaching 50 on four separate occasions – two of those scores in the 90s.

Asalanka also took three wickets in two of Sri Lanka’s three series games against India.

-Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

10 Matches, 26 Wickets, 15.6 Bowling Average, 7/19 Best Bowling

Hasaranga’s 7/19 against Zimbabwe in January is the fifth-best return in an innings in ODI history, joining an elite club of bowlers that have taken seven scalps in a match.

He averaged 2.6 wickets per game in 2024 and kept his bowling average well under 20.

Read more ; https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/breakout-stars-spearhead-icc-men-s-odi-team-of-the-year-for-2024 (Newswire)

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Cricket Australia has reportedly requested Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to amend the tour’s upcoming schedule, increasing the One Day International (ODI) matches. 

It is reported that Australia, which was initially scheduled to play one ODI against Sri Lanka, has requested an additional match.

The request has been made for the preparation of the upcoming World Champions Trophy. 

If all arrangements are confirmed, then the tour will see Australia and Sri Lanka playing 02 ODI matches. 

Per the earlier schedule, only one ODI match had been planned to be played in Hambantota. 

However, if the relevant changes are made, both ODIs are likely to be played as day matches in Colombo. 

Even though no certain details have been revealed on the matter, Sri Lanka Cricket sources say a final decision on the matter will be taken in the next two days. 

Despite changes being requested to the ODI matches, the Test match schedule will remain unchanged. (Newswire)

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The BLACKCAPS sold-out summer looks set to continue with less than 500 tickets remaining for Sunday’s opening ODI against Sri Lanka at the Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington.

That’s despite the venue’s capacity being increased by 400 seats to 6800, up from the usual 6400 capacity for Test matches.

Sunday’s Chemist Warehouse ODI series opener is the BLACKCAPS’ first 50-over international at the Basin in almost four years, with gates set to open at 9:30 am for the 11.00 am start.

The last BLACKCAPS ODI at the Basin was a 164-run victory over Bangladesh in March 2021, a match that featured a maiden international century for Daryl Mitchell in his third ODI.

Strong crowd support has been a feature of this BLACKCAPS home summer so far with all three T20Is against Sri Lanka sold out in advance, following on from full houses for the England Test series. (NZC)

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Sri Lanka’s top-order batsman Pathum Nissanka has broken into the top 10 of the latest ODI Rankings. 

According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pathum Nissanka entered the top 10 at eighth following a three-place rise.

The jump in position in the latest ODI rankings for batters follows Sri Lanka’s series against Bangladesh.

Pathum Nissanka totalled 151 runs from the series that Bangladesh claimed 2-1.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s middle order batsman Charith Asalanka has improved two spots to 14th in the latest ODI Rankings.

Asalanka has jumped two spots in the rankings following his 146 runs from three innings.

In the ICC’s latest T20I rankings, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are among the top five.

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is placed second in the T20I rankings with 687 ranking points.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana has secured the fifth spot with 659 ranking points. (NewsWire)

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