Dhoni's chance to climb up to 3rd place in ICC Player Rankings

Dubai, June 4 (UNI) India wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni can climb up to third place in the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen if he produces some solid performances during the Afro-Asian Cup series in Bangalore and Chennai this week.

The 25-year-old is currently lying in fourth spot, just five rating points behind Australia's Mike Hussey after a good showing in the recent series against Bangladesh and if he continues that form over the next week, he will close the gap on Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting at the top of the log.

Pakistan's Shahid Afridi is probably in the form of his life, certainly with the ball and he has moved into the top 20 in the latest rankings.

He is also making the right moves in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders, having moved up three places to seventh position in the latest release.

The Asia XI captain and Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene will be keen to continue his upward trend, having moved up six places to 13th spot in the latest rankings.

The series will be a chance for another great Asian batsman, Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka, to move back up the table having just fallen three places to seventh position.

Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf can use this series as an opportunity to halt his slip down the rankings. He has dropped six places and is now ranked 19th overall in the ODI listings.

The successful Bangladesh seam bowlers Mohammad Rafique (17th position) and Mashrafe Mortaza (19th position) will also be anxious to impress further as they bowl to top African batsmen like Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers and Steve Tikolo.

On the Africa side, Proteas captain Graeme Smith, unavailable for the Afro-Asian Cup as he recovers from knee surgery, is moving up the rankings again and is now level with Jayasuriya in seventh spot while Herschelle Gibbs lies at 14th.

Zimbabwe's Elton Chigumbura is currently the highest-ranked batsman from his country at 38th place and he can improve on that position with a good showing.

For ODI bowlers there are opportunities for the likes of Thomas Odoyo, Peter Ongondo of Kenya and returning South Africa off-spinner Johan Botha.

The Afro-Asian Cup begins tomorrow with a Twenty20 challenge match followed on Wednesday by the first of three ODIs. The opening match will take place at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore and the other two in Chepauk, Chennai.

Afro-Asian Cup upcoming fixtures: June 5 Twenty20 challenge match Asia XI v Africa XI, Bangalore June 6 first ODI Asia XI v Africa XI, Bangalore June 9 second ODI Asia XI v Africa XI, Chennai June 10 third ODI Asia XI v Africa XI, Chennai.

UNI