Daryl Mitchell Tops ICC ODI Batting Rankings

New Zealand allrounder Daryl Mitchell has surged to the top of the International Cricket Council's men's One Day International batting rankings, overtaking India's Rohit Sharma after a matchwinning century in the opening ODI against the West Indies in Christchurch.

Mitchell, 34, scored 119 runs off 118 balls in New Zealand's seven-run victory on November 16, earning the player-of-the-match award and propelling him to 782 rating points, one ahead of Sharma at 781. The performance marked his seventh ODI century and ended Sharma's brief stint at number one, which lasted 22 days. Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran slipped to third, while India's Shubman Gill held fourth, Virat Kohli fifth, and Shreyas Iyer eighth. Mitchell's ascent makes him only the second New Zealander to claim the top ODI batting spot, following Glenn Turner in 1979, ending a 46-year wait for the Black Caps. Other prominent Kiwis, including Martin Crowe, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and Martin Guptill, have reached as high as third but never the summit.

The rankings update, released Wednesday from Dubai, reflects Mitchell's strong 2025 form, with 761 runs in 16 innings at an average of 54.35, including one century and...