Setbacks for Pak ahead of 3rd ODI

The three-match series against Zimbabwe is leveled at 1-1

Pakistan's cricket team has suffered a significant blow as fast bowlers Ahmed Daniyal and Shahnawaz Dahani have been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe.

The duo sustained injuries during a training session on Sunday, forcing them to return to Pakistan today (Wednesday).

Ahmed Daniyal suffered a hamstring injury, while Dahani injured his left ankle. Following initial scans and clinical assessments, it was decided that both players would return to Lahore and report to the National Cricket Academy. There, they will undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of medical staff to ensure a safe recovery and return to competitive cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called up Abbas Afridi and Jahandad Khan as replacements. The two players are expected to join the squad in Bulawayo ahead of Thursday's series-deciding third ODI. Both Afridi and Jahandad are part of Pakistan's squad for the T20I series, which is scheduled to take place in Bulawayo on December 1, 3, and 5.

In addition, Aamir Jamal, who featured in both ODIs, has been named as Ahmed Daniyal's replacement in the T20I squad. The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe has been a rollercoaster for both sides. Zimbabwe claimed the rain-affected opener with an 80-run victory, but Pakistan bounced back in style in the second ODI, successfully chasing 146 runs thanks to a match-winning century by Saim Ayub, who scored an impressive 113 runs.

The decisive third and final clash is scheduled for Thursday, November 28, at the same venue.

Pakistan T20I squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan

Decline in ODI, Test rankings

In a disappointing turn of events for Pakistan cricket, several players have experienced a sharp decline in the latest ICC Test and ODI rankings, following a series of lackluster performances in recent international fixtures.

In the Test batting department, Pakistan's red-ball vice-captain Saud Shakeel has seen a slight improvement, rising from 9th to 8th place with 724 rating points. However, the rankings have not been as kind to other key players. Babar Azam, Pakistan's star batter and former number 1 ODI player, dropped one spot from 17th to 18th with 670 rating points. Alongside him, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha fell to 20th position with 662 rating points, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan now sits at 21st with 661 rating points, a notable decline.

The latest update reflects a shift in the rankings after India's dominant performance in the first of their five-match Test series against Australia. India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, following a magnificent 161 in Perth, climbed to a career-high second place, overtaking the likes of Harry Brook and Kane Williamson. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 100 has propelled him up nine spots to 13th, marking his return to the top 20 for the first time in over a decade.

In the bowling department, Pakistan's Noman Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi held their positions at 9th and 15th, respectively. Sajid Khan remained at 38th, while Naseem Shah slipped to 39th. On the other hand, India's Jasprit Bumrah regained the number 1 spot in the ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings after his impressive performance in the World Test Championship series against Australia.

Bumrah's match-winning figures of 5/30 and 3/42 in the first Test helped him leapfrog Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada to reach a career-best 883 rating points, the highest ever by an Indian seam bowler.

In the ODI format, Pakistan's Babar Azam continues to dominate as the number 1 ODI batter with 809 rating points. However, Fakhar Zaman has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies 14th place with 649 rating points. Imam-ul-Haq also slid down two spots to 17th with 639 rating points. Mohammad Rizwan remained steady at 24th with 605 rating points. Babar Azam is currently joined at the top by India's Rohit Sharma (2nd), Shubman Gill (3rd), and Virat Kohli (4th), highlighting the dominance of Indian batters.

In the ODI bowling rankings, Shaheen Afridi lost his position as the top-ranked bowler, now sitting at 2nd place with 682 rating points, as Afghanistan's Rashid Khan claimed the number 1 spot. Haris Rauf also experienced a setback, dropping two spots from 15th to 17th with 589 rating points. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj and India's Kuldeep Yadav have also moved up the rankings, sitting at 3rd and 4th, respectively.