Green-shirts continue to rise in ICC test rankings

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricketers have continued to head in the right direction in the ICC Test player rankings released on Friday following the green-shirts’ third strai­ght victory in the UAE.

Sarfraz Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali and Imran Khan have achieved career-best rankings in the latest player rankings, says a press release issued here.

In addition to these, captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who scored 102 not out, his eighth career century, has achieved a career-best rating to date of 842.

Younis Khan, who scored 100 not out, his 28th Test century, has gained a place as well as seven ratings points to reduce the gap with fourth-ranked Angelo Mathews to six ratings points.

In the ICC player rankings for Test batsmen, wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz is now at 31st position (up by two places) and Shehzad, whose 176 was his Test-best, has vaulted 18 places to 39th.

In the ICC player rankings for Test bowlers, Zulfiqar has gained 11 places and is now at 31st spot following his match figures of five for 127, Yasir Shah has moved up two places to 35th, left-arm fast bowler Rahat Ali has jumped 23 places to 49th position after match figures of six for 70 while Imran Khan’s two wickets in the second innings have put him in 80th spot (up by eight places).

Mohammad Hafeez is just outside the top 50 in 52nd spot after rising 12 positions, while he has gained six places in the bowlers’ rankings to return to the top 50 in 49th spot.

In the all-rounders’ category, Hafeez is now in 11th spot after climbing eight spots.

The batting table is headed by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, while Dale Steyn leads the bowlers’ list. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan is the number-one ranked all-rounder. (Dawn News Pakistan)