Pakistan Climb to Fourth in ODI Rankings as South Africa Stay Just Ahead on Equal Points

Pakistan have climbed to fourth in the ICC men's ODI team rankings following their dramatic tri-series victory over Sri Lanka in Lahore. The November 2 update places Pakistan on 104 rating points, level with third-placed South Africa, who stay ahead on the ranking calculation, while India lead the table and New Zealand sit second. Afghanistan's historic sixth place underlines how crowded the chasing pack has become. Pakistan's rise was built on winning four of five matches in the Lahore tournament, capped by a record-equalling chase of 326 in the October 31 final against Sri Lanka, when Fakhar Zaman's 127 from 99 balls turned a precarious 14 for 2 into a three-wicket win with nine balls to spare. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi's side had been fifth with 100 points in the October 15 snapshot, so the four-point gain is a genuine step forward rather than a quirk of the maths. With the 2027 World Cup to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, every ranking point now carries extra weight, and Pakistan's recovery has put them firmly back in the leading group.