cricketbuzztoday: Pakistan’s star cricketers Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan moved up In the latest ICC Test rankings.
Despite recent criticism over his performance in the red-ball format against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Babar Azam, has seen his Test ranking improve. He now holds the 11th position with 712 rating points.
Muhammad Rizwan Makes It To Top 10 Batters
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has broken into the top 10 Test batters, securing the 9th spot with 720 rating points. Rizwan’s impressive performance against Bangladesh, where he scored 171 runs off 239 balls in the first innings and followed it up with 51 from 80 balls in the same Test match, played a key role in his rise.
Saud Shakeel Slips To 21st Position
On the other hand, Saud Shakeel has slipped to the 21st position with 661 rating points, while Agha Salman has dropped to 32nd with 606 points.
Srilankan Players Improving Test Rankings
Looking beyond Pakistan, Sri Lankan players have also made strides in the rankings following their Test victory against England at The Oval. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva now sits at 13th, Kusal Mendis has reached 19th, and Pathum Nissanka has climbed to 39th.
Joe Root Reign In As No.1 Test Batter
In contrast, England’s Joe Root continues to dominate the Test rankings, maintaining his position as the No.1 Test batter.
Shaheen Move To 10th Place In Test Rankings
The bowling rankings have brought good news for Pakistan as well, with Shaheen Afridi making a comeback into the top 10, securing the 10th position with 709 rating points. However, Hasan Ali has fallen to 34th with 540 points, while Naseem Shah holds the 37th position with 531 points.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers have also seen improvements, with Lahiru Kumara rising to 32nd and Milan Rathnayake reaching 84th. England’s Olly Stone has climbed to 74th after his three-wicket haul in the first innings against Sri Lanka.
Ravichandran Ashwin Tops The Bowlers’ Rankings
At the top of the bowling charts, India’s Ravichandran Ashwin leads with 870 points, while Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah are tied for second with 847 points each.
This latest update highlights the dynamic nature of Test cricket, with players’ performances directly influencing their standings in the ICC rankings.