ICC Rankings: Saud Shakeel takes career-best spot

WEB DESK: Pakistani batter Saud Shakeel received the largest boost for Pakistan in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings after the men in green lost to South Africa in the first test of the series.

TEST BATTERS

Shakeel gained three places in the rankings and is now sixth among test batters, with a rating of 764. After a disappointing first innings, in which the left-handed batter scored only 14 runs, he put together a fantastic knock in the second, making 84 runs. He has scored a total of four centuries across the 16 tests he’s competed in, with the most recent coming against England this last October.

Babar Azam fell two places from 15th to 17th and now has a rating of 669. He only managed to score five runs in the first innings, but made his 27th half century of his career in Pakistan’s second innings. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha both fell places as well. Rizwan is ranked 21st with a rating of 642. The white ball skipper couldn’t seem to get going with the red ball, scoring a total of 30 runs between both innings in the latest test against the Proteas. Salman Agha struggled even more, making a combined total of 19 runs, and is now ranked 23rd.

Test skipper Shan Masood remains ranked 57th, after scoring a total of 45 runs.

Aiden Markham gained eight placed after scoring a combined 126 runs in Centurion, and is now ranked 16th with a rating of 671. Fellow South African Marco Jansen is ranked fifth after

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Pat Cummins also made his way in to the top 100 after scoring 49 runs in the first innings and 41 in the second against India in the fourth test of the five-match series. He is ranked 97th

The top three spots remain unchanged, with Joe Root on the throne, compatriot Harry Brook close behind, and Kiwi Kane Williamson taking the third spot. However, India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal is closing in. He is currently ranked fourth with a rating of 854. Despite India’s loss to Australia, Jaiswal continued to impress, scoring 82 runs in his first innings, and 84 in his second.

TEST BOWLERS

Jasprit Bumrah broke the record for the highest rating ever by an Indian bowler. He remains at the top of the test bowling rankings with a rating of 907. Like Jaiswal, despite India’s loss to the Aussies, Bumrah was still his dominant self. He took four wickets in Australia’s first innings, and five in their second.

Josh Hazlewood and Cummins both moved up one spot to occupy the second and third place respectively. Australia skipper Cummins took a combined six wickets in the latest test against India, while Hazlewood took one wicket in his last outing in the third test of the series and five wickets in the first test of the series. Hazlewood is rated 843 and Cummins is close behind with a rating of 837.

Noman Ali, who didn’t compete in the first test of the two-match series against South Africa dropped one place to ninth. He currently has a rating of 751. Similarly, Shaheen Afridi who also didn’t compete dropped one place and is now 18th with a rating of 661.

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Mohammad Abbas returned to the rankings after his seven-wicket haul in the first test against South Africa. He is ranked 23rd with a rating of 616. Naseem Shah gained six places and is now 33rd. The Pakistani fast bowler took a combined four wickets against South Africa in the first test.

Marco Jansen is ranked fifth after he took six wickets in Pakistan’s second innings this past month in Centurion.