Noman Ali joins Mitchell Starc as second-best Test bowler

Pakistan spinner Noman Ali has reached a career-high ranking by equalling Australia's premier pacer Mitchell Starc at second place in the latest ICC Test bowler rankings, both earning 843 points. 

India’s Jasprit Bumrah continues to hold the top spot.

Noman has had an exceptional year in the red-ball format, claiming 30 wickets in four matches at an average of 17.50 and an economy rate of 3.40.

His haul includes three five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match performances.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi has dropped one place to 24th, Mohammad Abbas slips to 28th, and Sajid Khan falls to 29th with 590 points. 

Spinner Abrar Ahmed has moved up one spot to 50th with 401 points. Pacers Khurram Shahzad and Aamer Jamal retained their 70th and 78th positions respectively, while spinner Asif Afridi sits at 95th with 224 points.

In the ICC men’s Test batting rankings, Saud Shakeel climbs to ninth place with 734 points, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan rises to 21st.

Star batter Babar Azam retains his 23rd spot, while all-rounder Salman Ali Agha jumps to 27th with 630 points. 

Test captain Shan Masood remains 44th, Imam-ul-Haq 51st, Abdullah Shafique 56th, and Kamran Ghulam drops to 85th. Aamer Jamal and Saim Ayub share the 95th spot.

England’s Joe Root continues to dominate as the number one Test batter, with teammate Harry Brook climbing three spots to second, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has been relegated to third.