DUBAI – Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has taken only 10 Tests to reach third place in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a stupendous 10-wicket match haul in Abu Dhabi which helped his side defeat Australia by 373 runs.
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The 28-year-old has gained 11 slots to reach the top three and has also crossed 800 rating points, matching fellow cricketer Yasir Shah and South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander who also reached that threshold in 10 Tests.
He became the first Pakistani fast bowler to take ten wickets in a Test since Mohammad Asif did so against Sri Lanka at Kandy in 2006.
A decade ago, Abbas was working as an office boy in a court, registering documents for cases related to real estate. Before that, he was a welder and a factory worker. In Abbas’ own words, his challenging life set him up for a career in cricket.
“My life before cricket was very challenging but those struggles helped me in cricket because when I came into the sport I had become mature enough to deal with the problems,” he said.
Three players who reached the 800-point mark in fewer Tests did so in the 19th century – England’s Tom Richardson (eight) matches in 1896, Australia’s Charlie Turner (nine) in 1892 and John Ferris (nine) in 1892, who turned out for both England and Australia.
Other Pakistanis to breach the 800-point barrier from Pakistan are Fazal Mahmood (16 Tests), Imran Khan and Wasim Akram (both 37), Waqar Younis (12), Mushtaq Ahmed (25), Shoaib Akhtar (29), Mohammad Asif and Saeed Ajmal (both 19).
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s 1-0 series win in the two-match series has helped them gain seven points in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings, coming within two points of sixth-placed Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Australia have slipped from third to fifth position.
