By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lankan off spinner Maheesh Theekshana has risen to be the world No. 1 bowler in ODI cricket upstaging Afghanistan’s spinner Rashid Khan.

Theekshana rocketed to the top spot following his 4 for 40 match haul in Sri Lanka’s triumphant 2-0 clean sweep of Australia in the recent home ODI series.

The feat earned the Lankan off spinner, with a fast action, 680 rating points in relegating Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to second spot with 669 points.

The 24-year-old spinner reached a high when he claimed a hat-trick against New Zealand in their backyard in becoming the seventh Sri Lankan to claim an OFI hat-trick.

Theekshana has taken 76 wickets in 52 ODIs at an average of 25.52 and an economy of 4.62.

He also became the seventh Sri Lankan to take a hat-trick in ODIs during the third game against New Zealand despite Sri Lanka losing it and the series 2-1 when he claimed 4 fir 44.