Pakistan has improved its standing in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test Rankings, moving up to sixth place following the annual rankings update released on Friday. The latest adjustment reflects changes in the weighting of historical series results.
Australia continues to dominate the rankings at the top with 131 points, followed by South Africa, the current World Test Champions, who hold second place with 119 points. India has risen to third with 104 points, overtaking England, which dropped to fourth with 102 points. England’s decline is attributed to the exclusion of matches played before 30 April 2023 from the weighted calculation, including high-impact home series victories against New Zealand and South Africa, as well as a 3-0 away series win in Pakistan.
New Zealand occupies fifth place, while Pakistan now sits sixth with a rating of 89 points, surpassing Sri Lanka, which has 86 points. The change follows England’s 3-0 series victory over Pakistan, which falls outside the full-weightage period, and the halving of Pakistan’s 2-0 series defeat against Bangladesh in 2024. The West Indies, Bangladesh, and Ireland rank eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively.
Shan Masood-led Pakistan Test team is set to travel to Bangladesh for a two-match Test series as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. The first Test will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 8, with the second Test scheduled at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16. This series provides an opportunity for Pakistan to further improve its ranking standings.
For context, the ICC Test rankings are updated periodically based on match results and series weightage, with more recent performances given greater significance. The current rankings reflect the competitive landscape of world Test cricket, where consistency and strong performances are key to climbing the ladder. Pakistan’s rise to sixth demonstrates steady progress under the leadership of Shan Masood.
Pakistan’s Test team will aim to build on this momentum in the upcoming series against Bangladesh, hoping to secure valuable points in the WTC cycle. Cricket fans will be watching closely to see if the team can sustain its upward trajectory in the longest format of the game. ICC Test Rankings are updated regularly, and Pakistan’s improvement is a positive sign for the country’s red-ball cricket. Pakistan cricket has a rich history, and this ranking update highlights its current position among the world’s top Test nations. BBC Sport provides further coverage on international cricket developments.
Source: ARY News