Lahore : Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has taken only 10 Tests to reach third place in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a stupendous 10-wicket match haul in Abu Dhabi helped his side defeat Australia by 373 runs.
The 28-year-old has gained 11 slots to reach the top three and has also crossed 800 rating points, matching compatriot Yasir Shah and South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander who also reached that threshold in 10 Tests.
Three players who reached the 800-point mark in fewer Tests did so in the 19th century – England’s Tom Richardson (eight) matches in 1896, Australia’s Charlie Turner (nine) in 1892 and John Ferris (nine) in 1892, who turned out for both England and Australia.
Abbas, who started the series in 21st position, is the 10th Pakistan bowler to reach 800 rating points. Apart from Abbas and Yasir, the others to breach the 800-point barrier from Pakistan are Fazal Mahmood (16 Tests), Imran Khan and Wasim Akram (both 37), Waqar Younis (12), Mushtaq Ahmed (25), Shoaib Akhtar (29), Mohammad Asif and Saeed Ajmal (both 19).
Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif is another bowler to gain in the latest update, advancing 17 slots to 52ndposition, while Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has gained 17 slots to reach 25th place among batsmen after his knocks of 94 and 81 in the second Test.
Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has entered the rankings in 68th position after scores of 94 and 66 on debut while Babar Azam (up nine places to a career-best 76th), Australia’s Aaron Finch (up 15 places to 59th), Mitchell Starc (up seven places to 89th) and Travis Head (up five places to 97th) are the others to advance among batsmen.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s 1-0 series win in the two-match series has helped them gain seven points in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings, coming within two points of sixth-placed Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Australia have slipped from third to fifth position.
MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 21 October, after the Abu Dhabi Test):
RANK TEAM POINTS
1. India 116
2. South Africa 106
3. England 105
4. New Zealand 102
5. Australia 102 (-4)
6. Sri Lanka 97
7. Pakistan 95 (+7)
8. West Indies 76
9. Bangladesh 67
10. Zimbabwe 02
11. Afghanistan 00
12. Ireland 00
MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Ranking (as of 21 October, after the Abu Dhabi Test):
BATSMEN (top 20)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Avge Highest Rating
1 ( – ) Virat Kohli Ind 935 54.57 937 v Eng at Southampton 2018
2 ( – ) Steve Smith Aus 910 61.37 947 v SA at Durban 2018
3 ( – ) Kane Williamson NZ 847 50.35 893 v Aus at Perth 2015
4 ( – ) Joe Root Eng 835 51.04 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015
5 ( – ) David Warner Aus 803 48.20 880 v NZ at Perth 2015
6 ( – ) C. Pujara Ind 765 49.54 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017
7 ( – ) D. Karunaratne SL 754! 37.28 754 v SA at Colombo (SSC) 2018
8 ( – ) D. Chandimal SL 733 44.96 755 v Win at St Lucia 2018
9 ( – ) Dean Elgar SA 724 41.05 784 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
10 (+1) Aiden Markram SA 703* 47.27 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
11 (-1) Usman Khawaja Aus 699 43.83 747 v Pak at Sydney 2017
12 ( – ) Ross Taylor NZ 697 47.22 871 v Win at Hamilton 2013
13 ( – ) Hashim Amla SA 673 47.23 907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013
14 ( – ) Faf du Plessis SA 665 42.33 734 v Ind at Centurion 2018
15 ( – ) Azhar Ali Pak 648 44.19 787 v Aus at Melbourne 2016
16 ( – ) Kusal Mendis SL 641 36.78 693 v Win at St Lucia 2018
17 ( – ) Jonny Bairstow Eng 637 37.19 772 v SA at Old Trafford 2017
18 ( – ) Ajinkya Rahane Ind 633 41.40 825 v NZ at Indore 2016
19= ( – ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 632 39.69 694 v Aus at Mirpur 2017
( – ) Kraigg Brathwaite Win 632 36.54 701 v Eng at Headingley 2017
BOWLERS (top 20)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Avge Highest Rating
1 ( – ) James Anderson Eng 899 26.84 903 v Ind at Lord’s 2018
2 ( – ) Kagiso Rabada SA 882 21.71 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018
3 (+11) M. Abbas Pak 829*! 15.64 829 v Aus at Abu Dhabi 2018
4 (-1) Vernon Philander SA 826 21.54 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013
5 (-1) Ravindra Jadeja Ind 812 23.50 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
6 (-1) Trent Boult NZ 795 27.84 825 v Eng at Lord’s 2015
7 ( – ) Rangana Herath SL 791 27.95 867 v Zim at Harare 2016
8 (-2) Pat Cummins Aus 784* 23.81 800 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
9 (-1) R. Ashwin Ind 777 25.44 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016
10 (-1) Jason Holder Win 766*! 28.50 766 v Ind at Hyderabad 2018
11 (-1) Neil Wagner NZ 765 28.26 785 v Win at Wellington 2017
12 (-1) Josh Hazlewood Aus 744 26.84 863 v Ind at Bengaluru 2017
13= (-1) Stuart Broad Eng 734 28.92 880 v SA at Johannesburg 2016
(-1) Shannon Gabriel Win 734 30.20 757 v Ban at Jamaica 2018
15 ( – ) Tim Southee NZ 720 30.82 799 v Win at Jamaica 2014
16 ( – ) Nathan Lyon Aus 706 32.21 774 v Eng at Adelaide 2017
17 (+1) Mitchell Starc Aus 693 28.52 805 v SA at Durban 2018
18 (-1) Keshav Maharaj SA 692* 27.65 695 v Zim at Port Elizabeth 2017
19 ( – ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 665 31.87 705 v Aus at Mirpur 2017
20 (+1) Kemar Roach Win 654 28.31 774 v SA at Centurion 2014
ALL-ROUNDERS (top five)
Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Highest Rating
1 ( – ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 420 489 v Aus at Mirpur 2017
2 ( – ) Ravindra Jadeja Ind 400 438 v SL at Colombo (SSC) 2017
3 ( – ) Jason Holder Win 380/* 381 v Ind at Hyderabad 2018
4 ( – ) Vernon Philander SA 370 378 v SL at Galle 2018
5 ( – ) R. Ashwin Ind 341 493 v Eng at Mohali 2016