Babar's ton sees Pakistan jump Australia as No.1 ODI team

Pakistan have unseated Australia as the world's top ranked 50-over team with captain Babar Adam spearheading a 102-run thumping of New Zealand in the fourth ODI in Karachi.

Run machine Babar scored his 18th century to give Pakistan a 4-0 lead in the five-match one-day international series.

The 28-year-old's 107 off 117 balls propelled Pakistan to 6-334 on Friday before New Zealand stumbled to 232 all out, their lowest total of the series.

The most lopsided win of the series lifted Pakistan to No.1 in the ICC ODI men's team rankings, knocking Pat Cummins' side out of top spot.

The top three ODI nations – Pakistan, Australia and India – are within one rating point of each other but Babar's team hold the No.1 position with a rating of 113.48 compared to the Australia's 113.28 and India's 112.63.

Australia also lost the No.1 Test team ranking earlier in the week, with fellow World Test Championship finalists India jumping them into top spot following their 2-1 Border Gavaskar series triumph in March.

"Credit goes to the entire team and support staff for becoming the No.1-ranked ODI team," Babar said.

"We felt it was a 300-plus wicket and if you build a partnership you can get to that total. We wanted to give a proper run to every player and since there are big events coming up, we are happy to find 15-16 players."

All nations no doubt have one eye on the ODI World Cup to be hosted by India in October-November this year with Australia's preparations for the showpiece event to begin in South Africa in late August after a three T20I and five ODI tour confirmed on Friday.

Babar and Agha Salman revived Pakistan from 3-128 in the 25th over with a 117-run fourth-wicket stand. 

Their charge allowed Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Haris to smash 38 off the last two overs and post an imposing total.

"Credit to the way they played, Babar played fantastically," New Zealand captain Tom Latham said.

"We are trying to build partnerships and needed someone to bat through tonight, but a big partnership was missing."

New Zealand had started well when fast bowler Matt Henry removed Fakhar Zaman, who top-edged a pull shot to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Shan Masood, who replaced Imam-ul-Haq, scored 44 at a brisk pace before he was stumped off Ish Sodhi, and Henry ran out Mohammad Rizwan with a direct hit from mid-on.

But that brought Babar and Salman together and Salman dominated the spinners with sweep shots as he hit 58 off 46 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes.

Henry plucked a brilliant low one-handed catch off his own bowling to dismiss Salman, then Babar raised his century off 113 balls in another useful stand with Iftikhar Ahmed.

Babar holed out in the deep to give debutant fast bowler Ben Lister his first ODI wicket, but the world's top-ranked ODI batter passed 5000 runs in his 97th innings in the format, surpassing South African Hashim Amla's record of reaching the milestone in 101 outings.

At 3-129 after 26 overs, New Zealand were in a similar position to Pakistan at the halfway stage.

Captain Tom Latham, who top-scored with 60, and Mark Chapman (46) tried to accelerate in the middle overs, but Latham's demise came when he was caught behind off Shaheen that triggered a collapse.

The Black Caps lost their last seven wickets for 48 runs.

Mohammad Wasim (3-40) and leg-spinner Usama Mir (4-43), one of five changes Pakistan made after sealing the series 3-0 on Wednesday, ran through the middle and lower order.

The fifth and final ODI of the series is on Sunday also in Karachi.