Amla becomes number-one ODI batsman

South Africa opener Hashim Amla has achieved the number-one ranking in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen after a good series against Pakistan which ended in Dubai on Monday.

Amla was the leading run-getter in the series with 291 runs, including one century and two half-centuries. As such, he earned 40 ratings points which were enough to put him ahead of his team-mate AB de Villiers.

De Villiers had started the series in number-one position on 817 ratings points and finished in second place on 809 ratings points after scoring 209 runs in the series with two half-centuries.

Also on the rise are South Africa captain Graeme Smith and left-handed batsman JP Duminy. Smith has moved up one place to 15th position after scoring 124 runs in three matches while Duminy has improved his ranking by five places and he now occupies 23rd position.

For Pakistan, captain Shahid Afridi remains the highest-ranked batsman after he retained his 30th position. Umar Akmal, however, has climbed four places to 39th spot while Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 203 runs in the series, has rocketed 21 places to sit just outside the top 100 in 109th position.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel has achieved a career-best ranking to date. Morkel has vaulted 13 places to 12th position after bagging eight wickets in the series.

Morkel now becomes South Africa's highest-ranked bowlers, leap-frogging off-spinner Johan Botha (14th) and Dale Styen (17th).

Also moving in the right direction are Shoaib Akhtar in 38th (up by 11 places) and Lonwabo Tsotsobe in 50th (up by 12 places).

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori leads the field with Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan second and England off-spinner Graeme Swann third.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Rankings for all-rounders, Shahid Afridi has slipped one place to third position while Kallis has moved up one place to fourth spot.