Babar Azam and Stuart Broad move upwards in ICC Test rankings
Pakistani batsman Babar Azam has earned a spot for himself in the top five Test batsmen in the updated ICC rankings. England’s legendary pace bowling pair of Stuart Broad and James Anderson has also moved upwards. Broad, who was also the man of the series against West Indies, is now the second-best bowler in the world behind Australia’s Pat Cummins.
Babar Azam – the only batsman in the top five of the @MRFWorldwide ICC Batting Rankings in all three formats ?#ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/W2yqLGmEXS
— ICC (@ICC) August 18, 2020
In February 2020, Azam had reached his career-best position of fifth in the Test batting rankings. His innings of 47 at the Ageas Bowl in the drawn second Test against England has again propelled him back to the same spot. He now occupies a spot in the top five batsmen in all three formats. His compatriots Abid Ali (up to 49th) and Mohammad Rizwan (up to 75th) have also attained their career-best batting rankings.
Broad claimed 4/56 in Pakistan’s only innings and the figures were enough to push him above New Zealand’s Neil Wagner to take up the second spot. Anderson with his analysis of 3/60 has risen to the 14th position in the bowling rankings. Mohammad Abbas, who claimed two wickets in England’s short innings, is now eighth in the rankings.
In the ICC World Test Championship points table, England stay in the third position with 279 points while Pakistan are fifth with 153. The list is led by India with 360 points and Australia (296 points) closely following them.
