Babar Azam Re-Enters ICC Men’s Test Top 10 as Pakistan Trio Rise Following West Indies Win
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has made his return to the top 10 of the ICC Men’s Test batter rankings following his team’s eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in their second match. His resurgence comes alongside notable ranking jumps for teammates Abdullah Shafique and Sajid Khan.
What Happened
Babar Azam climbed five positions to secure the 10th spot in the updated ICC Men’s Test batter rankings. His ascent follows key contributions in the second Test against the West Indies, where he scored 88 runs in the first innings and added an unbeaten 24 in the second innings to finish the chase.
Teammate Abdullah Shafique registered a massive leap of 25 places to reach 32nd among Test batters after anchoring Pakistan’s batting with an unbeaten 160 at number three. Meanwhile, right-arm spinner Sajid Khan delivered a standout performance with the ball, climbing five places to 30th in the Test bowler rankings and advancing five spots to 32nd in the Test all-rounder table.
Key Highlights
- Babar Azam: Advanced five spots to 10th in the ICC Test batter rankings after scores of 88 and 24 not out against the West Indies.
- Abdullah Shafique: Jumped 25 places to 32nd in the Test batting chart following his unbeaten 160 in the first innings.
- Sajid Khan: Rose five positions to 30th among Test bowlers and climbed to 32nd in the Test all-rounder category.
- Test Leaders: Australia’s Travis Head leads the Test batter rankings, India’s pace spearhead heads the Test bowler rankings, and Ravindra Jadeja remains the top-ranked Test all-rounder.
- ODI Ranking Movement: Following matches between Afghanistan and Ireland, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz moved to 11th and Hashmatullah Shahidi rose to 50th among ODI batters. Rashid Khan extended his lead as the top ODI bowler after consecutive Player of the Match awards, while Ireland’s Curtis Campher (joint 59th batting) and Mark Adair (17th bowling) re-entered the rankings.
Why This Matters
The ranking updates reflect the direct impact of individual performances in Pakistan’s eight-wicket victory against the West Indies, restoring Babar Azam to the top tier of Test batters and rewarding substantial individual contributions from Shafique and Sajid Khan.
What to Watch Next
Future ICC rankings updates will reflect ongoing and upcoming international fixtures, including shifts across Test and ODI formats as teams complete their bilateral series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Babar Azam currently rank in ICC Test batting?
Babar Azam is ranked 10th in the updated ICC Men’s Test batter rankings after moving up five places.
Who holds the number one positions in the ICC Test rankings?
Australia’s Travis Head holds the top spot among Test batters, India’s pace spearhead leads the bowling list, and India’s Ravindra Jadeja holds the number one position in the all-rounder category.
Which other Pakistan players gained in the rankings?
Batter Abdullah Shafique moved up 25 places to 32nd in the Test batting list, while spinner Sajid Khan advanced to 30th in the bowling rankings and 32nd in the all-rounder standings.
Source: CricTracker