ICC Test Rankings: Huge gains for Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq

Younis Khan

Pakistan batsmen Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali have improved their rankings in the latest Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings, which were released on Tuesday following the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Test.

Younis, who scored 213 and 46 in Pakistan’s 356 runs victory, has climbed one place to sixth. The middle-order batsman, who rose to the number-one position following his triple century against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2009, had entered into the series in 11th place on 759 ratings points. During the series, in which he aggregated 468 runs, he gained five places and 101 ratings points, and is now just three ratings points behind South Africa’s fifth-ranked Hashim Amla.

Misbah, who scored 69 and 101 not, which was the joint fastest century in the history of Test cricket, has risen three places to eighth position. The Pakistan captain scored 271 runs in the series, as a result of which he gained two places and 56 ratings points. Misbah now trails Australia’s David Warner by 40 ratings points.

Azhar Ali, who scored two centuries in the Abu Dhabi Test, has rocketed nine places to 18th position. Azhar, who also scored 53 and 30 in Dubai, had started the series in 26th position.

The good news for Australia is Mitchell Marsh’s scores of 87 and 47 have helped the 23-year-old vault 84 places to 94th on the list.

The batting table is headed by Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, with AB de Villiers of South Africa in second position.

Rank	Player	Team	Points
1	Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	915
2	AB de Villiers	South Africa	888
3	Shivnarine Chanderpaul	West Indies	887
4	Angelo Mathews	Sri Lanka	873
5	Hashim Amla	South Africa	863
6	Younis Khan	Pakistan	860
7	David Warner	Australia	858
8	Misbah-ul-Haq	Pakistan	818
9	Ross Taylor	New Zealand	795
10	Joe Root	England	789