Pakistan’s Noman Ali Becomes World’s Second-Best Test Bowler

Pakistan’s return to Test cricket has not only proven fruitful for the team, but it has also brought rewards for its spin stalwart Noman Ali, as reflected in the latest ICC Test rankings update.

The left-arm spinner has achieved the biggest milestone of his career, climbing to second place in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings following a sensational performance in the first Test against South Africa in Lahore.

The 39-year-old’s match-winning spell — six wickets for 112 runs in the first innings and four for 79 in the second — played a decisive role in Pakistan’s 93-run victory, giving the home side a 1-0 lead in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series.

This rise sees Noman jump four spots to reach a career-high 853 rating points, just 29 behind India’s Jasprit Bumrah, who currently tops the global standings.

What makes this achievement even more special is that Noman has become only the seventh Pakistani bowler ever to cross the 850-point barrier in the ICC Test rankings — and the first since Yasir Shah in 2016 to do so.

Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi climbed two places to 19th, while Sajid Khan remains steady at 21st.

ICC Test Bowlers Rankings:

On the batting front, Mohammad Rizwan (16), Babar Azam (22), and Salman Ali Agha (30) all saw improvements in their ICC Test rankings. Saud Shakeel continues to be Pakistan’s top-ranked batter at 13th.

ICC Test Batters Rankings:

With Pakistan and South Africa still battling it out in the second Test, all eyes are on whether Noman Ali can go one better and dethrone Bumrah to become the world’s top-ranked Test bowler.