Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali make it to top ten in ICC Test Rankings

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel and Noman Ali have made significant strides in the ICC Test Rankings following their impressive performances in the recent Test series against England.

After suffering a heavy loss in the first Test, Pakistan made four major changes to the team, which proved to be a smart move. The spin duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali stepped in for Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, revitalizing the team's performance. Together, they took an incredible 39 out of 40 England wickets in the next two Tests, helping Pakistan secure its first home Test series victory since 2021.

Noman Ali excelled in his role, claiming 20 wickets in just two Tests. This outstanding performance pushed him up eight spots to a career-best ninth in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings, with 759 rating points. Meanwhile, Sajid Khan also had a fantastic outing, taking 19 wickets and rising 12 places to reach 38th position.

On the batting side, Pakistan's vice-captain Saud Shakeel played a crucial role by scoring a determined 134 runs in the third Test. This remarkable innings allowed him to leap 20 spots, landing him in seventh place in the ICC Test Batting Rankings. With 724 points, he is now the highest-ranked Pakistani batter in the Test rankings. 

Babar Azam, meanwhile, moved up one position to 18th place with 670 points. However, Pakistan's newly appointed white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha experienced declines in their rankings, dropping to 22nd and 21st places, respectively.