Younis moves up in ICC Rankings

ISLAMABAD-

After scoring two outstanding centuries in the recent test match against Australia, Younis Khan has become the highest ranked Pakistani batsman. In the recent Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, Khan has climbed up four places and is now on the seventh position. With captain Misbah-ul-Haq slipping one place to 11th, Younis is now Pakistan’s highest-ranked batsman, says a press release issued here.

Dubai Test century-makers have vaulted in the latest Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen following the conclusion of the first Test, which Pakistan won by 221 runs to end Australia’s hopes of moving on top of the Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings.

Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, whose innings of 109 helped Pakistan score 454, has helped him rise 12 places to 38th position while opener Ahmed Shehzad’s contribution of 131 in the second innings that allowed the home side to declare its second innings at 286 for two to set Australia a victory target of 438, has helped him rocket 14 places to 52nd.

Australia opener David Warner, who scored 133 in Australia’s first innings score of 303, has moved up one place to a career-high fourth position. He now has West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul firmly within his sights as only 12 ratings point separate the two left-handers.

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Pakistan’s spin duo of Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah have stormed up the charts. Zulfiqar, who returned match figures of seven for 155, has jumped 46 places to claim 51st spot, while Yasir has entered in 62nd place following figures of three for 66 and four for 50.

Australia’s Mitchell Johnson has also been rewarded for his contribution of three wickets in the match and scores of 37 and 61 and is now ahead of England’s Stuart Broad in fourth position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test All-rounders.

Pakistan’s victory in the Dubai Test has not only ensured that it will move ahead of India in fifth position irrespective of how the Abu Dhabi Test ends, it has dashed Australia hopes of regaining the number-one Test ranking.

Australia needed to win both test matches against Pakistan in order to move ahead of South Africa. However, now, the best series result can be a one-all draw, will keep it in second position but three points behind South Africa.

In contrast, if Pakistan wins the second Test, then it will leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India into third position. A one-all draw will mean it will finish in fifth place on 99 ratings points – three ahead of India and two behind fourth-ranked Sri Lanka, while a drawn Test in Abu Dhabi will see Pakistan move to fourth place.