South Africa has retained their world number one Test spot as Pakistan thrashed Australia by 221 runs in their first Test in Dubai and ended their hopes of moving past the current leaders on top of the ICC Test Team rankings.
The century-makers in the Pakistan-Australia Test vaulted in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, but Australia failed to claim the world number one Test spot.
Australia opener David Warner, who scored 133 in Australia's first innings score of 303, moved up one place to a career-high fourth position and now has West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul firmly within his sights as only 12 ratings point separate the two left-handers, Sport24 reported.
Pakistan's Younis Khan, who scored two centuries in the Test to become Pakistan's most successful batsman in terms of centuries scored, has gained four places and claimed seventh position. With captain Misbah-ul-Haq slipping one place to 11th, Younis is now Pakistan's highest-ranked batsman.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and opener Ahmed Shehzad, who scored 109 and 131 respectively, have also made impressive gains. Sarfraz rose 12 places to 38th position, while Shehzad helped him rocket 14 places to 52nd.
Pakistan's victory in the Dubai Test has also ensured that they would move ahead of India in fifth position irrespective of how the Abu Dhabi Test ends.
To move ahead of South Africa, Australia required winning both Tests. Now, their best series result can be a one-all draw, which will keep them in second position but three points behind South Africa.
In contrast, if Pakistan wins the second Test, then they would leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India into third position, while a one-all draw would mean they will finish in fifth place on 99 ratings points, three ahead of India and two behind fourth-ranked Sri Lanka, while a drawn Test in Abu Dhabi would see Pakistan move to fourth place, the report added.
