Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali improve ICC Test rankings after England triumph

After Pakistan's celebratory win against England in the recently concluded Test series, Test players Saud Shakeel and Noman Ali have made it to the ICC Men’s Test Batting and Bowling rankings.

The 29-year-old Shakeel achieved a significant feat as he entered his way into the top 10 Test batters standing on the seventh position, while 38-year-old Noman clinched in ninth spot on the top Test bowlers list, rising by eight places.

According to the ICC’s official ranking, Shakeel made a remarkable leap of 20 spots to secure seventh place.

His impressive performance in the recent Test series against England on home turf was pivotal in this achievement.

Pakistan celebrated a memorable victory by outclassing England in the third Test, claiming the three-match series 2-1. The national side took a substantial first-innings lead of 77 runs on a pitch favouring spinners.

Shakeel's highest rating is 724, with a career-best of 728 achieved against Australia in Melbourne in 2023.

England's Joe Root continues to lead the rankings, followed by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, England's Harry Brook, and Australia's Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja ahead of Shakeel. Australia's Marnus Labuschagne, Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis, and New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra occupy the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions, respectively, with Ravindra climbing eight ranks to enter the top 10.

Indian star Virat Kohli has fallen to 14th, while Pakistan's Babar Azam moved up to 18th.

In the Test bowlers ranking, Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped from 14th to 15th. South Africa's Kagiso Rabada is the top Test bowler after moving up three places, with India's Jasprit Bumrah in third.