ICC Test rankings updated as Babar Azam, Shan Masood and Abbas move up
The rankings improved despite Pakistan’s 90-run defeat in the opening Test.
Babar Azam made a strong comeback in the batting rankings with a four-place rise. The Pakistan captain moved from 19th to 15th with 686 rating points.
Shan Masood also recorded a major improvement after scoring a century in the first Test. He jumped eight places from 44th to 36th and now has 590 rating points.
Not all Pakistan batters enjoyed a positive update in the latest rankings. Saud Shakeel slipped three places to 24th with 641 points, while Mohammad Rizwan dropped eight spots to 26th with 638 points.
Salman Ali Agha also moved down four places to 32nd with 607 points. Imam-ul-Haq held his 53rd position, while Abdullah Shafique slipped one place to 57th with 511 points.
All-rounder Aamer Jamal remained at 100th position in the batting rankings. There was no change in his overall standing.
Australia’s Travis Head continues to lead the ICC Test batting rankings. England’s Harry Brook is second, while Joe Root remains in third place.
Among Pakistan’s bowlers, Mohammad Abbas recorded the biggest improvement. He climbed nine places from 26th to 17th with 690 rating points after his impressive performance.
Spinner Noman Ali kept his seventh position with 809 points. Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped four places to 29th with 617 points, while Sajid Khan slipped to 35th with 545 points.
Hasan Ali stayed at 38th position with 501 points. Khurram Shahzad moved down to 52nd, Aamer Jamal remained 81st, Asif Afridi dropped to 87th, Mohammad Ali slipped to 93rd and Salman Ali Agha fell to 99th.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah remains the world’s No 1 Test bowler. New Zealand’s Matt Henry is second, while Australia’s Mitchell Starc holds third place.
The latest ICC Test rankings show that strong individual performances can still be rewarded even when a team loses. Pakistan will hope more players improve their rankings with consistent performances in the remaining matches.
Also read: Babar Azam becomes Pakistan Test captain again after PCB approval?
Also read: Babar Azam returns as Test captain for West Indies and England tours
