Mohammed Siraj back as number one bowler in ICC Men's ODI ranking
Dubai: After a scintillating performance in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, Mohammed Siraj has regained his position as the world's No. 1 ODI bowler. This marks his second stint at the top, having previously held the position from January to March 2023 before briefly being displaced by Josh Hazlewood.
Siraj's impressive showing in the Asia Cup, where he claimed ten wickets at an average of 12.20, propelled him eight places to the pinnacle of the rankings. The highlight of his performance was a remarkable spell of 6 for 21 that decimated the Sri Lankan batting lineup, resulting in their dismissal for a mere 50 runs in the final. Siraj's four-wicket over during this spell was a rare feat, achieved only three times in men's ODI history prior to this.
The Asia Cup also proved fruitful for Afghanistan's spin duo, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman (No. 4) and Rashid Khan (No. 5) both securing spots in the top five rankings. They each contributed with two wickets in the group stage. Josh Hazlewood (second) and Trent Boult (third) round out the top five ODI bowlers.
On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav, who managed to secure five wickets at the Asia Cup with an average of 11.44, has slipped three places in the rankings from sixth to ninth. Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj has seen an impressive rise from 25th to 15th after his significant role in South Africa's remarkable comeback from a 0-2 deficit against Australia. Maharaj claimed eight wickets in the series at an average of 16.87, including a crucial 4 for 33 in the series decider.
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Search on for missing crew member after 2 US planes go down in dramatic turn to Iran war
Dubai (AP): The search is on for one missing US service member while another was rescued after two US warplanes went down in separate incidents including the first shoot-down since the Iran war began nearly five weeks ago.
The incidents occurred just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the US has “beaten and completely decimated Iran”.
One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A US crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a US military search-and-rescue operation was underway.
Separately, Iranian state media said a US A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation, said it was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down.
The war now entering its sixth week is destabilising economies around the world as Iran responds to the US and Israeli attacks by targeting the Gulf region's energy infrastructure and tightening its grip on oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
