Saud Shakeel Achieves Career-Best ICC Ranking; Babar Azam Drops in Latest Update
Shan Masood maintained his position at 57th despite scoring a combined total of 45 runs.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani batter Saud Shakeel has achieved a significant career milestone, rising to sixth place in the ICC Test Batting Rankings, following a strong performance in the second innings of the ongoing Test series against South Africa. Shakeel, who gained three places in the rankings, now holds a rating of 764 after scoring a crucial 84 runs in the second innings of the first Test. Despite a disappointing 14-run effort in the first innings, his overall performance continues to shine, marking a major boost for Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam has dropped two places, now ranked 17th with a rating of 669. Babar managed only five runs in the first innings but contributed with a half-century in Pakistan’s second innings. Fellow players Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha also saw their rankings slip, with Rizwan now 21st and Agha 23rd after underwhelming performances in the ongoing match.
Test skipper Shan Masood maintained his position at 57th despite scoring a combined total of 45 runs.
On the South African side, Aiden Markram made a notable jump, rising eight places to 16th after a total of 126 runs in the first Test. His performance was a highlight in the Proteas’ efforts, along with Marco Jansen, who remains fifth in the rankings.
In the Test Bowling rankings, India’s Jasprit Bumrah continues to dominate, holding the top spot with a record-breaking rating of 907. Australia’s Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also saw improvements, moving to second and third, respectively. Pakistan’s Noman Ali, who did not play in the first Test, dropped to 9th, while Shaheen Afridi fell to 18th.
Read More: Babar Azam returns to Pakistan Test squad for South Africa series
Pakistani pacer Mohammad Abbas made a strong return to the rankings, entering at 23rd after taking seven wickets against South Africa in the first Test. Naseem Shah also made progress, rising six places to 33rd.
This update highlights a mix of progress and challenges for Pakistani cricketers in the latest ICC rankings as they face South Africa in the ongoing Test series.
