Pakistan cricketers made gains after the latest rankings update was issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.
Babar Azam, up two places to third, Saud Shakeel, up one place to 14th, and Mohammad Rizwan, up one place to 17th, have improved their rankings in the Test batters list.
In the Test bowling rankings, Shaheen Afridi has moved up one place to get back into the top 10.
Azam is still at the top position in the ODI batters rankings but he is closely followed by India’s Shubman Gill in second place with a gap of only 23 points.
Fakhar Zaman is still at number 13 in the ODI batters list, with Imam-ul-Haq dropping one place to 16th.
Afridi has also risen in the ODI bowlers rankings after jumping one place to sixth. Haris Rauf has also moved up one place to 23rd.
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has reclaimed top spot in the ICC Test bowlers rankings.
“A nine-wicket haul in his 100th Test match has helped Ravichandran Ashwin re-claim top spot from teammate Jasprit Bumrah on the latest ICC Test Bowling Rankings,” the game’s governing body said in a press release.
“Ashwin was at his brilliant best throughout the Dharamsala contest against England as the experienced right-armer picked up four wickets in the first innings and then a 36th five-wicket haul in the second innings as India cruised to a dominant triumph in the fifth and final Test of their series.
“The big haul helped Ashwin move past Bumrah into the premier position that he previously held earlier this year, while Bumrah falls into a share of second with Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood following his six scalps in the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
“Ashwin's Indian teammate Kuldeep Yadav earns a new career-high rating and jumps 15 places to 16th overall on the latest Test rankings for bowlers following his seven wickets and Player of the Match heroics against England, while Kiwi Matt Henry (up six spots to 12th) also moves up to a career-best mark.”
- Babar Azam