NEW DELHI: South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs during the opening match against Australia in Cairns on Tuesday, a performance that helped him regain the No. 1 spot in the ICC bowlers' rankings released on Wednesday.
The left-arm spinner jumped two places to move ahead of Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana (second) and India's Kuldeep Yadav (third) in the latest update.
The 35-year-old veteran showcased all his experience to return figures of 5/33 against Australia, a spell that not only powered the Proteas to a commanding 98-run victory but also lifted him back to the top of the ODI bowling rankings.
Maharaj first rose to No. 1 in November 2023, displacing India seamer Mohammed Siraj during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. Since then, the left-arm spinner has consistently remained within the top five of the rankings.
South Africa had more reasons to celebrate in the rankings, with seasoned batters Aiden Markram (up four places to 21st) and Temba Bavuma (up five spots to 23rd) making significant gains in the ODI batting charts after scoring half-centuries in the series opener against Australia.
