KARACHI: Seasoned Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez and veteran England paceman James Anderson are the biggest achievers in the latest ICC Test player rankings released on Friday.

Hafeez has reason to be cheerful as his contributions of 27 and 151 in the just-ended Sharjah Test helped him vault four places to a career-best 24th position. Hafeez had started the England series in 33rd position and has gained nine places after earning 79 points during the course of the three-match rubber in the UAE.

Anderson returned figures of 4-17 and 2-52 for which he has earned 22 points, which, in turn, has put the right-armer alongside player of the series, Yasir Shah, in second place.

Yasir, the wrist-spinner, earned 19 points after taking seven wickets in the Sharjah Test. The two bowlers are now equal on 846 rating points behind South Africa’s top-ranked Dale Steyn (905).

Pakistan fast bowler Rahat Ali has also gained five places and is now on a career-high 36th position after contributing three wickets in Pakistan’s 127-run win in Sharjah.

In the ICC player rankings for Test batsmen, Australia captain Steve Smith has regained the number-one ranking and A.B. de Villiers of South Africa has moved into second position as Joe Root has dropped two places to third after conceding 27 points.

Apart from Root, Pakistan’s record-breaking batsman Younis Khan has slipped one place to sixth, his compatriot Asad Shafiq has dropped one place to 12th, another compatriot Azhar Ali lost three places to 20th and England’s veteran Ian Bell has fallen one place to 31st.

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has hung up his boots in 67th batting and 44th bowling spots. Shoaib lost 15 places in the batting chart after scores of 38 and 0, but gained 57 places after recording match figures of 24.5-7-59-7 in Sharjah.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has retained his 10th position in the batting chart but has steered his side second position in the ICC Test Championship. Pakistan last achieved number-two spot under Inzamam-ul-Haq in August 2006, immediately prior to losing the series in England.

Pakistan very briefly enjoyed number-one position under Imran Khan in 1988 and remained the second-ranked side for much of the early 1990s.

Third-ranked Australia trail Pakistan by a fraction of a point but will reclaim second position if they beat New Zealand 1-0 or better.

In this scenario, England will also move ahead of New Zealand in fifth position as the two sides are currently locked on 99 points each.

ICC Test Championship rankings (team points in brackets):

1. South Africa (125), 2. Pakistan (106), 3. Australia (106), 4. India (100), 5. New Zealand (99), 6. England (99), 7. Sri Lanka (89), 8. West Indies (81), 9. Bangladesh (47), 10. Zimbabwe (5).

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play