Pakistan batting's mainstay Younus Khan has charged up the Reliance ICC rankings for Test batsmen after scoring a double-century in the first Test against Bangladesh that set up an innings and 184-run victory.
Published: Dec 13, 2011, 06:20 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 13, 2011, 06:20 PM (IST)
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan is now ranked 5th in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen © AFP
Dubai: Dec 13, 2011
Pakistan batting’s mainstay Younus Khan has charged up the Reliance ICC rankings for Test batsmen after scoring a double-century in the first Test against Bangladesh that set up an innings and 184-run victory.
The 34-year-old, whose triple-century against Sri Lanka at Karachi in February 2009 had put him in No.1 position, now has moved up 11 places to claim fifth place behind Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and England duo, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.
Australia opener David Warner is the biggest mover in the rankings for Test batsmen as his unbeaten century in Hobart has lifted him 131 places to 70th position.
New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell’s stellar showing in their sensational seven-run victory in the Hobart Test has lifted him 50 places to 39th position.
The 21-year-old Bracewell had figures of 3-20 and 6-40 which turned out to be the cornerstone of New Zealand’s first Test victory in Australia in 26 years.
Bracewell is now New Zealand’s third highest-ranked bowler after Daniel Vettori (seventh) and Chris Martin (up by one place to 16th).
The other notable bowlers from the Hobart Test obart to improve their rankings are Australia’s new ball pair of James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.
Siddle has gained three places and is now in 13th while Pattinson has jumped 31 places to 41st following his eight wicket haul. The bowlers’ list is headed by South Africa’s Dale Steyn with England’s James Anderson second and Morne Morkel of South Africa third.
England lead the Test Championship table with 125 points.
South Africa and Sri Lanka go head to head in the three-Test series at Centurion from Thursday with both the sides eyeing upward movements.
South Africa currently sits in third position on 116 ratings points, one behind India, while Sri Lanka is in fifth spot, 17 ratings points behind. If South Africa wins the series by 2-0 or better, it could leapfrog India into second position, while Sri Lanka’s victory by 1-0 or better might put it ahead of Australia in fourth position.
The teams ranking on the Championship table will largely depend on how the Australia-India series pans out. (IANS)
