New Zealand star Daryl Mitchell has climbed to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, ending Rohit Sharma’s brief stay at No.1. Mitchell’s rise comes on the back of his match-winning century (119) in the first ODI against the West Indies in Christchurch, where the Black Caps edged home by seven runs.

The in-form right-hander now sits on 782 rating points, just one ahead of Rohit, who had held the top spot for close to three weeks. In the process, Mitchell becomes only the second New Zealander to be ranked No.1 in ODI batting, the first since Glenn Turner achieved the feat way back in 1979.

Latest ICC ODI Batting Rankings - Top 5

Mitchell joins an elite Kiwi list that includes Martin Crowe, Andrew Jones, Roger Twose, Nathan Astle, Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, and Ross Taylor, all of whom have previously featured in the top five but never reached No.1.

ALSO SEE: BCCI releases official fitness update on Shubman Gill ahead of IND vs SA 2nd Test in Guwahati

Pakistan also enjoyed major ranking boosts following their 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka. Mohammad Rizwan jumped five places to 22nd while Fakhar Zaman climbed to 26th. On the bowling front, rising spinner Abrar Ahmed surged into ninth, and Haris Rauf moved to 23rd, although Rashid Khan continues to lead the ODI bowlers.

Test rankings shake-up after Kolkata clash

The first Test between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens brought updates across formats. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma broke into the top five Test batters for the first time after his unbeaten 55 steered South Africa home. India’s Shubman Gill moved up to 11th despite suffering an injury.

Jasprit Bumrah remains the No.1 Test bowler, with strong support from Kuldeep Yadav (13th) and Ravindra Jadeja (15th). South Africa’s Marco Jansen climbed to 11th among bowlers and fifth in Test all-rounders after a solid outing.

With New Zealand celebrating a rare No.1 ranking and India locked in an intense Test battle, the race across ICC charts is heating up as the cricket calendar enters a crucial phase.

Daryl Mitchell has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against the West Indies after he picked up a groin strain while celebrating his match-winning century in Christchurch.

The New Zealand all-rounder will miss the rest of the series because of the injury. Mitchell played a key role in New Zealand’s close seven-run win in the first ODI, scoring 119 runs off 118 balls. He is staying in Christchurch for a medical check-up to decide if he can return for the remaining three matches.

“Mitchell felt discomfort in his thigh while scoring his seventh ODI century during yesterday’s win over the West Indies at Hagley Oval. He did not return for the second innings. He will undergo a scan this morning to see if he can play the rest of the ODI series,” New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a statement on Monday, November 17.

Also Read -“For Andre Russell’s release…”- Former India star reacts to KKR’s decision ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Nicholls Replaces Injured Mitchell

In Daryl Mitchell’s place, left-hander Henry Nicholls has been called up for Wednesday’s second ODI in Napier. Nicholls last played an ODI in early April and is currently leading the Ford Trophy with 306 runs at an excellent average of 76.50, including two back-to-back centuries against Otago and Auckland.

Squad Update | Daryl Mitchell will not travel to Napier with the squad and will instead undergo a scan on his left groin in Christchurch this morning. Henry Nicholls has been called into the squad as cover and will join the squad in Napier this afternoon 🏏…

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 16, 2025

Mark Chapman is also in the squad as a backup batter. He has been in strong form, averaging 101.33 in four ODIs this year. Mitchell has been outstanding this season and was even named Series Player of the Year against England. “He’s a guy you want in a crisis,” captain Mitchell Santner said. “He played extremely well at the end, even with just one leg.”

New Zealand are also missing several key players due to injuries. Mohammad Abbas (ribs), Finn Allen (foot), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O'Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Ben Sears (hamstring) are all sidelined. Their absence has weakened New Zealand in both batting and bowling.

In the first ODI against the West Indies in Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Daryl Mitchell displayed remarkable temperament and skill to write a memorable century. Mitchell arrived at the crease early after New Zealand lost Will Young and Rachin Ravindra early in the first powerplay. Mitchell was able to handle the pressure with considerable maturity and ease and rebuild the innings with discipline. His measured start developed into a free-flowing exhibition of stroke play, striking a balance between conservativeness and careful aggression that saw the New Zealand score keep moving. In difficult conditions and impressive disciplined West Indies bowling, Mitchell remained firm at one end so New Zealand did not collapse in the middle overs. 

As Devon Conway peddled away with his well-made 49 early on, the two formed a pivitol 67-run partnership that solidified the New Zealand innings. Once Conway fell, Mitchell took the reins to revive the middle order, developing partnerships with Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, and Mitchell Santner in succession. He brilliantly manipulated the field, found gaps, and rotated the strike with composure that assisted to rebuild New Zealand momentum. His innings—full of 12 boundaries and two sixes—demonstrated his versatility and increased stock as an accomplished ODI cricketer.

Mitchell's final score of 119 from 118 deliveries not only helped New Zealand get to a competitive total, but also placed his name in the record books of the venue. He now sits fourth on the all-time individual list for ODIs at Hagley Oval, with only Callum MacLeod (175), Tom Latham (137), and Moeen Ali (128) ahead of him. Mitchell's innings was another memorable moment added to his tally of ODI milestones and was the highlight of the host's innings.

Also Read -Shubman Gill Ruled Out of 1st IND-SA Test After Suffering Neck Injury

Seales Late Flurry Keeps West Indies in the Game

Mitchell's efforts at the top of the order were met head on by West Indies quick Jayden Seales, who with every ball caused danger and discomfort to the New Zealand's batters with his movement and speed. Seales' bowling finished with an exciting finale when he took the wicket of Mitchell in the final over of the innings and validated his economical bowling effort to restrict New Zealand to 269 runs in their 50 overs. Without those timely wickets taken by Seales at critical moments in the innings, the home team would have easily posted more than a 300-run total.

West Indies began their pursuit of New Zealand's 502 total with a bit of pressure, losing John Campbell to Kyle Jamieson. Despite the unfortunate start, the visitors continued to look determined to set up an interesting battle at Christchurch as they look to take advantage of New Zealand's missed opportunities and turn their disciplined bowling effort into a successful run chase.

On Monday evening, Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas (TEX vs SEA) will be played in the seventh match of the MLC 2025 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland.

MLC 2025, Match 7: TEX vs SEA Probable XIs

Texas Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Devon Conway (wk), Faf du Plessis (Captain), Daryl Mitchell, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Zia-Ul-Haq, Adam Milne, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Mohsin

Seattle Orcas Predicted Playing XI: Aaron Jones, David Warner, Steven Taylor, Kyle Mayers, Heinrich Klaasen (Captain & wk), Shimron Hetmyer/Cameron Gannon, Sikandar Raza, Harmeet Singh, Waqar Salamkheil, Obed McCoy, Jasdeep Singh

See Also: TEX VS SEA Major League Cricket 2025: Live streaming details where to watch

MLC 2025, Match 7: TEX vs SEA Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Dream11 Captain choices

Devon Conway: New Zealand star Devon Conway is in great form in T20 cricket, as he has recently scored 52, 65, and 34 runs, respectively. 

Adam Milne: In his first two matches of the MLC 2025, New Zealander Adam Milne took three and two wickets, respectively. 

Daryl Mitchell: Another New Zealand star Daryl Mitchell is a special asset for any team. In their last match, he scored a crucial 36 runs and later picked up one wicket in his three overs (3-0-20-1).

Top 3 Dream11 Vice-captain choices

Calvin Savage: Durban-born USA all-rounder Calvin Savage started the MLC 2025 with a knock of 53 not out off 34 balls for Texas against New York. He won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant match-winning performance, while his team was struggling at 96/5. 

David Warner: Former Australian cricketer David Warner made his MLC debut during Seattle Orcas' first game of the season, where the left-handed opening batter scored 31 runs in 17 balls. 

Shimron Hetmyer: Caribbean cricketer Shimron Hetmyer can start for Seattle Orcas in this forthcoming match, as his UK tour for the West Indies has completed. 

Major League Cricket (MLC) is amongst those franchise leagues that is fast gaining attraction as some of the finest performers are showcasing their cricketing skills in this tournament. The third edition began on the 13th of June, and already we are witnessing some exciting contests.

The tournament is slowly gaining popularity in the USA and internationally. The tournament consists of some class performers. In this piece, we discuss 3 Texas Super Kings players who were earlier part of the Chennai Super Kings team in the IPL. we discuss these players in detail: 

1.Faf Du Plessis

Faf Du Plessis played a big role for Chennai Super Kings, helping the team win IPL trophies in 2018 & 2021, and now the former South African captain is the skipper of TSK. The former right-handed batter could score just 46 runs in 7 innings during the first MLC season, but during the 2024 season, he scored 420 runs in 8 innings with an average of 52.50 and a strike rate of 171.42.

He represented CSK in 7 seasons (2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020/21 & 2021, scoring 398, 303, 380, 162, 396, 449 & 663 runs respectively) for CSK. During the 2021 season, he scored 633 runs with an average of 45.21 and a strike rate of 138.20.

2.Adam Milne

Milne's debut for TSK against MI New York was quite impressive during the first game of the 2025 MLC season, where he claimed 3/22 on the 14th of June 2025 helping his team to win by 3 runs.

The New Zealand pacer played for RCB in the IPL during the 2016 & 2017 seasons while he played for Mumbai Indians in 2021 and CSK in 2022, when he could play just 1 game against KKR. Milne's career has been affected by injuries, due to which he could play limited IPL games.

See Also : MLC 2025, Match 7: TEX vs SEA Dream11 Top Captain And Vice-captain Choices

3. Daryl Mitchell

Daryl Mitchell has been amongst the most consistent performers for New Zealand in white ball cricket in the last 3- 4 years. The right-hander scored 351 runs for CSK in 15 innings during the 2024 season, registering 2 half-centuries with a strike rate of 142.60 as he was a crucial cog for CSK.

Mitchell didn't play the 2025 IPL season as he was released just before the tournament. The 34-year-old is playing his first MLC, and in his first TSK game, he scored just 8 runs against MI New York on the 13th of June 2025. 

In a Match 2 of the 2025 Major League Cricket season at the Oakland Coliseum in California, Texas Super Kings held their nerves to defeat MI New York by just 3 runs. MI New York had won the toss and chose to bowl first a decision that almost paid off, but Texas managed to come out on top in the final overs.

Texas Super Kings put up a fighting total of 185/6 in their 20 overs. Opener Devon Conway batted with great control and scored a fluent 65 off 44 balls. Skipper Calvin Savage added valuable runs with a quick 53 off 34, giving the innings good pace. Milind Kumar’s 19 off 13 helped push the score even further in the final overs. MI New York’s bowlers tried hard to keep things tight. Michael Bracewell was the pick of the bowlers with 2/34 in his 4 overs. Sunny Patel and Ehsan Adil also chipped in with a wicket each, keeping the pressure on.


Chasing 186, MI New York stayed in the game till the end but fell just short at 182/8 in the end because of misunderstanding between the teammates. Monank Patel gave them a solid start with a stylish 62 off 44 balls. Bracewell was impressive again, this time with the bat too, scoring 38 off 21. Then came Kieron Pollard, smashing 32 off 16 balls, raising hopes of a dramatic finish.

But Texas bowlers kept calm under pressure. Adam Milne was brilliant at the death, picking up 3 wickets for just 22 runs. He was well supported by Mohammad Mohsin and Noor Ahmad, who kept them calm in the crucial final overs. It was a clinching final over game, but Texas Super Kings showed great fight and composure in the final presure overs. Their 3-run win gave them their first points of the season and a much-needed confidence for their entire season.

ALSO READ: Watch: Temba Bavuma saved by DRS! Huge controversy in AUS vs SA WTC Final match 

Twitter reactions after TEX wins 2th match of  MLC 2025

Woww Texas super kings won against mi newyork 💃💃💃 Michele bowled very well in last over nail biting moments 🤣 super kings mi a win panirchuu doiii faf take it 🫰🫰 pic.twitter.com/lpjDdYoc8R

— prarthana (@prarthi11) June 14, 2025

TSK beats MINY by 3 runs in a thriller match.. pic.twitter.com/Ee56zxflrx

— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB) June 14, 2025

No Nosh 👀, maybe conditions

MINY:
QDK,Monank,Agni Chopra
Pooran,Bracewell,Taijender,Pollard
Sunny,Ehsan, Boult, Naveen

TSK:
Faf, Conway, SaiTeja, Daryl Mitchell, Milind, Ferriera, Savage, Noor, Mohsin, Zia, Milne

No Stoinis 🤔 #MajorLeagueCricket #MLC2025 #TSK #MINY pic.twitter.com/RfPHhhVPg4

— Karthik Rao (@Cric_Karthikk) June 14, 2025

TSK VS MINY match summarised in one picture pic.twitter.com/j16TmIVs6m

— Y A S H (@yxshwsingh) June 14, 2025

Any way
First win of the season 💛😭#MINYvTSK pic.twitter.com/jLtK0GF4Pw

— Kishore TVK🇪🇸 (@Kishore___msd) June 14, 2025

Wow!!! What a match!! TSK won!!! #MINYvTSK

— 𝘾𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙯 (@CuriousTweetz) June 14, 2025

🌟MLC -Match no.2
🔹MINY vs TSK
🔹TSC Pre-Match Bet :
⏭️TOTAL MATCH FOURS 28 NO⏮️

📈Link : https://t.co/ovurn27VrY 🚩

🚨Fancy Market will be closed in #Fairwin247 at 5:30am.
Don't miss it....🤝#MLC2025 #TSC #MINYvTSK pic.twitter.com/08kQpJrx8o

— TAMIL SPORTS CENTER (@TSCoffii) June 13, 2025

Woke up early and watched the TSK match just to see them get humiliated by Pollard again 😑 pic.twitter.com/JQduP0CyyV

— edwin_91003 (@Edwin_91003) June 14, 2025

Warra Comeback by TSK ❌️
Warra Choke by MINY ✅️
2 run out in 2 balls (both set batsman) https://t.co/R50pble7ri pic.twitter.com/Ih8Zpi5xbZ

— H.S.K 💫 (@ImHarishiv) June 14, 2025

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 is hanging in the balance, with foreign players not wanting to return in the wake of heightened India-Pakistan tensions. The tournament was put on hold on May 9, 2025, after a drone attack outside Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium created mass hysteria, prompting the PCB to delay matches indefinitely. With the IPL also suspended owing to Operation Sindoor—a counterattack in response to border incursions—subcontinent cricket is in shambles.

Foreign players, crucial to the PSL's international popularity, are taking safety precautions first, leaving the PCB in a state of panic. There were reports of players such as Australia's David Warner and New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell swearing never to come back to Pakistan, while England's Tom Curran was visibly shaken throughout the incident. South Africa's Andries Gous, who was scheduled to make his debut for Islamabad United, also withdrew, citing the volatile atmosphere. The PCB had first thought about relocating matches to Karachi, but as things deteriorated, the idea fell apart, further worsening the crisis.

The PCB is keen to save the season, particularly with playoff places at stake—Lahore Qalandars (9 points) and Peshawar Zalmi (8 points) were in the running before the suspension. An attempt to relocate to the UAE fell through, as the Emirates Cricket Board distanced itself to avoid straining ties with the BCCI, who’ve hosted IPL editions there. With no clear venue and fading player confidence, the PSL’s future looks bleak, leaving fans like me wondering if we’ll see any more action this year.

Can the PSL Bounce Back?

The PCB has a daunting task ahead: getting overseas players back on the field while keeping them safe. There are negotiations to postpone matches in a neutral country, potentially Sri Lanka, but there is no clear timeline yet. Cricket was already disrupted, as two Pakistan domestic tournaments were postponed, and the PCB has to move quickly to regain people's trust or face postponing the entire season, a huge loss for fans and players.

Also Read: India's likely squad for the 2025 England Test Series Without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

With global stars absent, the PSL loses its glamour, and that is well-known to the board. Global stars are the measure of a league's strength as well as watchability, and with today's environment, even that does not appear so real anymore. Hope the PCB somehow manages to deliver cricket once more in safety—fingers crossed for it all to resolve ASAP!

The 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) turned into a nightmare for foreign players when a missile struck an airport 20 minutes after they were about to fly out of Pakistan. Bangladeshi cricketer Rishad landed safely in Dubai and expressed great relief to media persons, who termed the experience as "petrifying." "Alhamdulillah, we landed in Dubai despite a crisis," he added, remembering his team's dread at hearing the news of the attack after the touchdown. Against a backdrop of heightened tensions and bombings in Pakistan, the attack left players and families in shock. Rishad's parents, always concerned for his safety, were especially traumatized by the unstable environment, with news of the attack being received by them as both "frightening and tragic."

Foreign players such as Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran were also deeply shaken. Mitchell, according to Rishad, promised never to visit Pakistan again under such conditions, and others were also equally outraged. Nahid Rana was visibly shocked and couldn't say a word during the crisis. "I kept saying to him, relax," said Rishad, underlining the relief of having arrived at Dubai. The episode has raised grave questions about the PSL's capacity to hold on to overseas talent, with the fear of narrowly avoiding harm hanging over it, threatening to tarnish the league's global image.

Tom Curran's Emotional Breakdown

England's Tom Curran had a particularly traumatic experience. Rishad spoke of how Curran had heard the airport was closed after the missile strike and broke down in tears. "He was crying like a kid," Rishad said, as teammates moved to comfort him. The psychological impact of this close brush with disaster has left a lasting scar, potentially deterring overseas players from future PSL involvement.

SHOCKING EXPERIENCE FOR OVERSEAS PLAYERS IN PSL. 🤯 [Cricbuzz] pic.twitter.com/GVhhXJARxp

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 10, 2025

Also Read: How much money did BCCI lose per game due to IPL 2025 suspension?

The incident highlights the broader challenges of hosting global sporting events in regions with geopolitical volatility. The psychological impact on players and added uncertainty about logistics create an extraordinary cognitive burden for organizers of the PSL to manage the safety and security dimensions. The ability to reassure international stars about their safety is critical. Otherwise, the league may lose its attractiveness, as players will likely opt for their own safety over participating in a potentially dangerous environment.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 has been shaken into chaos following the growing tensions between India and Pakistan, compelling the delay in matches and causing players to live in fear. A PSL celebrity exposed the level of fear, citing New Zealand cricketer Daryl Mitchell, who was said to have said that he would "never go to Pakistan again" after the traumatizing experience. The situation worsened when there was a drone attack close to Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, causing a game between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings to be canceled. The attack caused overseas players to run away to Dubai for safety as the security situation went from bad to worse.

There was an atmosphere of fear among theplayers,s with some international stars such as Sam Billings, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran showing their discomfort. One of the players, Rishad, in Dubai airport, described how terrified the team felt in the uncertainty, underlining the psychological cost to the cricketers. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was initially against calling off the tournament, butthe deterioratingg geopolitical situation, with the added provocation of India's military response after a terror attack in Pahalgam, left them with no option. The PCB has since shifted the remaining PSL fixtures to theUAE  in an attempt to save the season.

The broader cricketing landscape has also been affected, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 suspending its matches for a week amid security concerns in India. This broader disruption shines a spotlight on the dilemmas of organizing major sporting events in an area with political tensions. The high levels of fear articulated by Mitchell and others raise major issues concerning the viability of international cricket in Pakistan - a country that has worked so very hard to re-establish itself as a viable place to host major global tournaments since before the attacks in 2009.

A Climate of Uncertainty for Cricket

The PSLL 2025 delay is a great setback to Pakistan's cricketing aspirations and brings under question its future suitability to host international competitions. The drone attack, termed "extremely irresponsible" by PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi, hasfurtheredd the insecurity among officials and players. Moving to Dubai might guarantee the end of the tournament but reflects the continuing challenges in restoring global confidenceinr Pakistan.

"All Of Them Were So Frightened, Daryl Mitchell Said He Would Never Go To Pakistan Again": PSL Star#PSL2025 https://t.co/dZUFJlSOqB

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) May 10, 2025

Also Read: PSL 2025 Setback: ECB turns down PCB request after Indian cricket’s silent push

At the same time, the suspension of the IPL is an indication of how geopolitical tensions within the subcontinent have the potential to upset even the largest of leagues. The PCB and BCCI alike now have the unenviable task of ensuring that players are safe while also appeasing fans and sponsors. The risk that players like Mitchell have mentioned is a wake-up call to the precarious interplay between politics and sport, and it is anything but certain how cricket in the region will unfold.

The highly anticipated final between Pakistan and New Zealand is finally here! Fans from all over the world are eagerly anticipating which team will raise the trophy. All you need to know about the match, live streaming information, top players, and a summary of their previous match is below.

Match Details:

• Match: Pakistan vs New Zeland, Final
• Date: February 14, 2025
• Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
• Time:
  1. Pakistan: 2:00 PM PST
  2. India: 2:30 PM IST
  3. South Africa: 11:30 AM SAST

LIVE STREAMING

TV Broadcast

• India: Sony Sports Network
• Pakistan: PTV Sports
• South Africa: SuperSport

Online:

• SonyLIV App & Website (India)
• PTV Sports Website & App (Pakistan)
• SuperSport Live Stream (South Africa)
• FanCode App & Website (Available in multiple countries)

ALSO READ:PAK vs NZ Final Match, Match Prediction- Who Will Win Today?

Key performers:

Pakistan:

Babar Azam – Pakistan’s captain and top-order batsman, known for his consistent performances.

Shaheen Afridi – A world-class fast bowler who can take early wickets.

Mohammad Rizwan – A dependable wicketkeeper-batsman who can anchor the innings.

New Zealand:

Kane Williamson – A match-winner with experience in handling pressure

Devon Conway – A strong top-order batsman who can provide a solid start

SQUADS:

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Akif Javed, Usman Khan

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Ben Sears, William ORourke, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Nathan Smith, Lockie Ferguson