Afghanistan enter ICC ODI top six, their highest-ever ranking

Afghanistan have moved past Sri Lanka, England and West Indies after a run of series wins across formats.

By idly intel

3 Nov, 07:35 IST1 min read

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Afghanistan enter ICC ODI top six, their highest-ever ranking — Image: ESPNcricinfo

Key facts

Story

Afghanistan have reached sixth place in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings, their highest-ever position.
They moved past Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies in the table.
The climb follows a 4-0 away series win over Ireland and an unbeaten run in the UAE tri-series.

Afghanistan's men's cricket team has reached sixth place in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings, their highest position ever. The move, reported on 2 November 2026, takes them past Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies.

The rise follows a run of strong results. Afghanistan beat Ireland 4-0 in an away ODI series. They then went unbeaten in the UAE tri-series, which also featured Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Earlier landmark wins

The team's climb builds on earlier results. Afghanistan recorded notable wins at the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup. Those victories over major teams helped them gain ground in the rankings over time.

For Indian fans, the result matters for the cricket calendar. Afghanistan are a regular opponent in multi-team tournaments, and a higher ranking can affect how they are seeded and how their matches are scheduled.

The rankings are updated after each series, so Afghanistan's position could change as more matches are played. Their next fixtures and whether they can hold sixth place are not yet known.