Afghanistan have achieved their highest-ever position in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings by climbing to the sixth spot, surpassing Sri Lanka in the latest update released by the International Cricket Council. The milestone follows a sustained period of impressive performances across the fifty-over format since the team made its ODI debut back in 2009.
The rising side now sits above several established Test-playing nations in the global standings, having previously moved past teams such as Bangladesh, England and West Indies. The latest rankings update reflects their consistent upward trajectory in international cricket over recent years.
Afghanistan's ascent has been built upon a series of notable achievements on the international stage, including historic victories against heavyweight opponents such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2023. They also reached a maiden ICC Men's T20 World Cup semi-final appearance in 2024.
Statistical records highlight the team's growth in the format, having secured 96 victories out of their 191 matches in the ODI format with an impressive win-loss ratio of 1.09. Their recent results include a comprehensive 4-0 away series victory over Ireland.
In addition to their bilateral success against Ireland, the team maintained an unbeaten run in a recently concluded tri-series featuring hosts Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Following these limited-overs successes, the squad completed a clean sweep against Zimbabwe in the T20I format.
Looking ahead to their next international assignment, the team is scheduled to face Zimbabwe in an upcoming two-match Test series. The fixtures will offer another opportunity for the squad to test their skills in the longest format of the game.
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