Dubai, January 29, 2025: Pakistan’s top cricketers, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Noman Ali, have seen notable shifts in the latest ICC Test Rankings released on Wednesday. Following Pakistan’s 120-run defeat to the West Indies in the second and final Test of the series, several players experienced ranking changes based on their individual performances.
Spinner Noman Ali was the standout performer, claiming 6-41 in the first innings, including a hat-trick, to dismiss the West Indies for 163. He followed it up with four more wickets in the second innings, securing a 10-wicket match haul. His stellar display propelled him four spots up to a career-best fifth place in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings.
His spin partner, Sajid Khan, who took six wickets in the match, also moved up two places to 21st place with 644 rating points.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s pace attack saw a decline as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, and Naseem Shah—all of whom missed the Test series—dropped to 22nd, 27th, and 40th place, respectively.
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam endured a disappointing series, managing just one run in the first innings and 31 off 67 balls in the second. With a total of 45 runs across four innings, he dropped three places to 19th in the ICC Test Batting Rankings. Mohammad Rizwan moved up two places to 15th, thanks to a resilient 49-run knock in the first innings, followed by a cautious 25 in the second. Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel, who scored 45 runs in the match, dropped one spot to 10th place with 739 rating points.