Pakistani cricketers have faced a notable setback in the latest ICC Test rankings, with key players sliding down the charts following underwhelming performances in recent matches. Former captain Babar Azam, once a consistent top-10 contender, has now dropped out of the top 20, falling to 21st position with 651 rating points. His performance dipped particularly in the recent home series against the West Indies, where he managed only 45 runs in four innings.
Despite being the second-highest run-scorer in the away series against South Africa with 193 runs, including three half-centuries, Babar’s inconsistency at home impacted his ranking. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan held firm at 14th place with 671 points, showing resilience in form. Salman Ali Agha sits at 32nd in the rankings, reflecting the broader struggles of the team’s batting unit.
There were small but positive changes for some Pakistani batters. Shan Masood climbed one spot to 46th with 542 points, and Abdullah Shafique rose to 53rd with 520 points. However, these gains were not enough to balance the overall decline in Pakistan’s ranking positions. At the top, England’s Joe Root continues to dominate the Test batting rankings, followed by Harry Brook and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.
Pakistan’s bowlers also witnessed a dip in their standings. Off-spinner Sajid Khan fell to 22nd place, and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped to 23rd. On the other hand, left-arm spinner Noman Ali remains the highest-ranked Pakistani bowler at 6th. Mohammad Abbas is placed 29th, while Naseem Shah retained his 39th spot in the rankings.
On a brighter note for South Asia, Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz emerged as a standout performer. He climbed to second place in the ICC Test all-rounders’ rankings after scoring 116 runs and taking 15 wickets in a series against Zimbabwe. His efforts included a century and a five-wicket haul in Chattogram, lifting him eight spots to 55th in the batting rankings and earning a career-best 327 rating points.
Meanwhile, India’s Ravindra Jadeja continues to lead the all-rounders’ list, and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top of the bowling rankings. However, no Pakistani player has managed to break into the top 20 among Test all-rounders, highlighting the need for stronger performances across all departments.