Latest ICC rankings out: Babar Azam overtakes Steve Smith; achieves career-best ranking

The latest ICC Test ranking are out, and Babar Azam, on the back of his 119 and 55 against Sri Lanka, reached his career-best rating of 874 points and climbed to the third spot, overtaking Australian great Steve Smith. Babar is presently top-ranked in both ODIs and T20Is and remains the only batter in the top 10 of all three lists.

Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique, who was declared man of the match for his second innings knock of 160 against Sri Lanka and has amassed 720 runs in his first six Tests, gained 23 slots to reach 16th position with a Pakistan record of 671 rating points.

The previous best by a Pakistan batter after six Tests was Saeed Ahmed’s 614 rating points. Only two batters have ever had more points after six Tests – Sunil Gavaskar (692) and Donald Bradman (687).

As far as the Indian batters are concerned, Shikhar Dhawan on Wednesday moved up a place to joint 13th spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings on the back of his match-winning knock against the West Indies in the first match of the ongoing limited-over series.

Dhawan, a left-handed batter, made 97 in the first ODI against West Indies last Friday at the Port of Spain. India won the game by three runs. Another India batter Shreyas Iyer, who struck back-to-back half-centuries in the first two ODIs against the West Indies, moved up 20 places to the joint 54th among batters.

Iyer had struck 54 and 63 in the first and the second ODI against West Indies. Pacer Mohammad Siraj has got a place in the top 100 and is on the 97th spot. Siraj had figures of 2/57 in the first ODI against the West Indies.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who both have been rested for the series against West Indies, have dropped a place each to fifth and sixth spot respectively.

For West Indies, opener Shai Hope is up three places to 12th after his 115 in the second match, which went in vain while speedster Alzarri Joseph has gained two places to reach 16th position after grabbing two wickets each in both matches against India.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock has progressed two places to fourth after his 92 not out in the third match against England which was washed out by rain, ending the series at 1-1. England pacer David Willey has moved up to the 23rd spot among bowlers. 

Currently, India are playing a three-match ODI series against West Indies and Pakistan are involved in a Test match against Sri Lanka. 

(Inputs PTI)

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