Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi move up in latest ICC Test rankings

DUBAI – Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s impressive performance in ongoing Test match series against Sri Lankan to climb further up in the latest ranking issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.

Azam is one step closer in his quest of becoming the No.1 batter in all three formats of the game after he moved closer to the top Test ranking on the latest MRF Tyres ICC Men's Player Rankings.

While the Pakistan skipper already holds top billing in both white-ball formats, the 27-year-old is yet to reach the summit at Test level and still trails England's Joe Root, ICC said in its press release.

Root remains clear at the top of the Test list, but Babar rises one spot to third overall and to a career high rating of 874 points on the back of his tremendous century in the opening Test of Pakistan's ongoing series against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Babar scored almost 55 percent of Pakistan's first-innings runs during that Test, with the right-hander contributing 119 runs to a team score of 218 that ultimately helped the side keep in touch with Sri Lanka's first innings total of 222.

Pakistan’s star pacer Shaheen Afridi also jumped up a spot on the list for Test bowlers.

Afridi picked up four wickets during the first innings of that Test against Sri Lanka and that catapulted him in front of India quick Jasprit Bumrah and into third on the bowler rankings.

Pakistan batter Abdullah Shafique was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century in the second innings of that Galle Test and that saw him jump 23 spots to 16th overall on the batter rankings with 671 rating points.

Only two batters have had more points after six Tests – Sunil Gavaskar (692) and Donald Bradman (687). Shafique's 671 points are the most for a Pakistan batter after six Tests, the previous being Saeed Ahmed with 614 points.