Pak players improves thier rank in test career best

KARACHI: Pakistan cricketers have
continued to head in the right
direction in the International Cricket
Council (ICC) Test Player Rankings
following their third straight victory
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Sarfraz Ahmad, Ahmad Shahzad,
Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali
and Imran Khan have achieved
career-best rankings in the latest
player rankings, which were released
on Friday following Pakistan’s victory
against New Zealand in the first Test
on Thursday. Pakistan defeated New
Zealand by 248 runs. In addition to
these, captain Misbahul Haq, who
scored 102 not out, his eighth career
century, has achieved a career-best
rating to date of 842. Younus 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 Rankings for Test Batsmen,
wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz is now
in 31st position (up by two places)
and Ahmad, whose 176 was his Test-
best, has vaulted 18 places to 39th.
In the Rankings for Test Bowlers,
Zulfiqar has gained 11 places and is
now in 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).
Opener Mohammad Hafeez, who
scored 96 and 101 not out, is now
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.
Two New Zealand players have also
improved their rankings. Tom
Latham, who scored 103 and 20, has
moved up 16 places to 55th spot and
Ish Sodhi is now in 73rd position
(up by four places). 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.
Batsmen Rankings
1: K Sangakkara (SL)
2: AB de Villiers (SA)
3: S Chanderpaul (WI)
4: Angelo Mathews (SL)
5: Younus Khan (Pak)
6: Hashim Amla (SA)
7: David Warner (Aus)
8: Misbahul Haq (Pak)
9: Joe Root (Eng)
10: Michael Clarke (Aus)
11: Ross Taylor (NZ)
Selected Rankings
15: K Williamson (NZ)
17: Azhar Ali (Pak)
22: Asad Shafiq (Pak)
31: Sarfraz Ahmed (Pak)
39: Ahmad Shahzad (Pak)
52: Mohammad Hafeez (Pak)
Bowlers Rankings
1: Dale Steyn (SA)
2: Ryan Harris (Aus)
3: Rangana Herath (SL)
4: Mitchell Johnson (Aus)
5: James Anderson (Eng)
6: Vernon Philander (SA)
7: Stuart Broad (Eng)
8: Kemar Roach (WI)
9: Tim Southee (NZ)
10: Saeed Ajmal (Pak)
Selected Rankings
13: Trent Boult (NZ)
23: Neil Wagner (NZ)
31: Zulfiqar Babar (Pak)
35: Yasir Shah (Pak)
48: M Hafeez (Pak)
49: Rahat Ali (Pak)
62: Corey Anderson (NZ)
73: Ish Sodhi (NZ)
80: Imran Khan (Pak)