Pakistan players slip down in latest ICC Test rankings

Dhananjaya de Silva's outstanding performance in the first Test against Bangladesh has elevated him to the brink of the top 10 batters globally. His twin centuries as Sri Lanka's new Test captain led to a massive 328-run victory, propelling him to a career-high rating in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings.

De Silva's remarkable feat saw him ascend a remarkable 15 places to claim the 14th position overall, courtesy of his scores of 102 and 108. The 32-year-old's stellar performance elevated his rating points to an all-time high of 695, placing him a mere 40 points shy of cracking into the esteemed top 10 list of Test batsmen worldwide.

As a result of De Silva's ascent, Pakistani batters Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan each slid one spot in the rankings. Shakeel now occupies the 15th spot with 693 rating points, while Rizwan descended to the 18th position with 668 rating points. Meanwhile, Pakistan's batting stalwart, Babar Azam, maintains his position at third place with 768 rating points, with New Zealand's Kane Williamson leading the chart with 859 rating points.

Sri Lanka's joy extended to the updated rankings for Test bowlers, with right-arm quick Kasun Rajitha emerging as one of the notable climbers following his five-wicket haul in the second innings against Bangladesh. Rajitha's commendable performance propelled him six places up to the 38th position, boasting 515 rating points. Furthermore, teammates Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara also made significant strides, with Fernando ascending seven spots to 43rd place and Kumara climbing six rungs to share the 46th position.

Rajitha's rise resulted in Naseem Shah slipping down to the 39th spot with 514 rating points. Fernando's advancement to the 43rd position with 489 points saw Noman Ali and Abrar Ahmed each dropping two places to 44th and 45th, respectively. Furthermore, Aamer Jamal also descended one place, now sharing the 46th spot with Lahiru Kumara. Shaheen Afridi remains the sole Pakistani bowler in the top ten, securing the tenth spot with 733 rating points.