Following Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy, the latest ICC rankings have revealed a sharp decline in the positions of several key Pakistani players. The poor showing in the tournament has significantly affected their individual rankings, with many dropping in the standings.
Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman has seen a notable drop of three places, falling to 17th position with 621 points. Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, who could only manage scores of 3 against New Zealand and 46 against India, slipped from 16th to 20th place, now with 616 points.
Imam-ul-Haq, who made a lackluster return against India with just 10 runs, remains at 32nd place with 582 points. Another opener, Saim Ayub, who is currently recovering from an injury sustained during the Test series against South Africa, has dropped eight spots to 35th, with 572 points.
Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha, who scored 42 against New Zealand and 19 against India, has also dropped down to 46th place, with 544 points.
Virat Kohli Returns to Top Five
Meanwhile, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli has climbed to 5th place in the rankings after scoring his 51st century against Pakistan in Dubai. India’s dominance in the batting rankings remains unchallenged, with Shubman Gill holding onto the top spot and Rohit Sharma staying in third place. Pakistan’s former captain Babar Azam remains in second place.
Notable movements have also been observed among other players, with New Zealand’s Will Young climbing eight places to 14th, England’s Ben Duckett rising 27 spots to 17th, and India’s Rachin Ravindra improving by 18 places to 24th.
Decline in Bowling Rankings for Pakistani Players
In the bowling rankings, Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has fallen five places from 4th to 9th position after failing to impress in the Champions Trophy. His points now stand at 619.
Right-arm fast bowler Haris Rauf has slipped six places to 22nd, with 553 points, while Naseem Shah has managed to climb two spots to 42nd place with 491 points. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has made significant progress, rising 26 places to 49th.
Other Noteworthy Bowling Rankings
Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana, who was not part of the Champions Trophy, continues to hold onto the top spot in the bowling rankings, while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan remains in second place. South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has climbed one spot to 4th, and New Zealand’s Matt Henry has risen two spots to 6th. Australia’s Adam Zampa has also moved up by two places to 10th.
South Africa’s pacer Kagiso Rabada has climbed four spots to 16th, and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell has improved by 31 places to 26th.
The drop in rankings for several Pakistani cricketers highlights the impact of the team’s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy. While some players continue to struggle, others like Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed have shown improvement, indicating potential for future success. However, the team will need to regroup and perform better in upcoming international matches to regain their previous standing in the global rankings.
