Smith, Warner jump up ODI rankings post series whitewash against Kiwis

Dubai [UAE], Dec.10 (ANI):Australian skipper Steve Smith has claimed career-high one-day ranking while David Warner is closing in on the world's top two batsmen following the side's recent Chappell-Hadlee series whitewash against New Zealand, which concluded in Melbourne on Friday. Warner finished as the leading run-getter with 299 runs in the three ODI matches, which has not only helped him to consolidate his No.3 ranking but has also allowed him to cut India's second-ranked Virat Kohli's lead from 62 points to just two points. South Africa's AB de Villiers is the No.1 ranked batsman on the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen, 13 points ahead of Kohli. The fight for the No.1 ranking will resume next month when Kohli is likely to feature in the three-match ODI series against England (15-23 Jan). Warner is expected to take the field against Pakistan in the five-match series (13-26 Jan) and de Villiers is expected to lead South Africa in the five-ODI series against Sri Lanka (28 Jan-10 Feb). Smith, on the other hand, has jumped six places to 10th following series contribution of 236 runs. New Zealand opener Martin Guptill and Australia's duo of Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazelwood have also achieved career-high rankings. Guptill has been rewarded for his 193 runs in the series with a rise of two places, which has put him in sixth position, Marsh has gained three places to rise to 22nd position, while Hazlewood has vaulted 12 places to join Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi in 11th position following six wickets in the series. Pat Cummins, who was the leading wicket-taker with eight wickets, has returned in 47th position while other bowlers to make upward movements include James Faulkner (23rd, up by two places) and Mitchell Santner (50th, up by 16 places). Trent Boult, who was the leading wicket-taker in the series with eight wickets, has retained his No.1 ranking. He leads South Africa's Imran Tahir by eight points, with West Indies' Sunil Narine one more point behind in third position. There is no change to the all-rounders' list, which is headed by Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, who is followed by Angelo Mathews, Mohammad Nabi, James Faulkner and Mitchell Marsh. On the ICC ODI Team Rankings, No.1 ranked Australia has moved up from 118 points to 120 points, while New Zealand has dropped behind India in fourth position. New Zealand had started the series on 112 points, but the 0-3 defeat has meant it has dropped to 109 points.(ANI)