From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Pakistan clinched 5th spot in the ICC Test Team Rankings from South Africa after a historic 2-0 series win in Rawalpindi. According to details, Pakistan earned 8 rating points after beating Proteas in Karachi and Rawalpindi. The hosts were at the 7th position in the charts before the start of series while South Africa was at 5th. This is the first time since January 2017 that Pakistan team has ranked among top 5 Test teams in the ICC ranking.
New Zealand is currently at the top while India is at 2nd place followed by Australia and England at 3rd and 4th respectively. This is Pakistan’s only second Test series win over South Africa in 12 attempts, having lost eight and drawn three. Pakistan last beat South Africa 1-0 in a two-match series at home in 2003. Pakistan won the first Test by seven wickets in Karachi.
The series against South Africa who were touring Pakistan for the first time in 14 years is the biggest hosted by the home side since a deadly 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka’s squad in Lahore halted international tours.