Pakistan dropped to their worst Test position in almost six decades on Wednesday, the International Cricket Council said, after their shock 2-0 series defeat to bottom-placed Bangladesh. Bangladesh inflicted a six-wicket defeat on the home team in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, their first series win against Pakistan. “Pakistan dropped two places – from sixth to eighth – in the Test rankings after a shock series defeat at home to Bangladesh,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
The ICC said it was “their lowest ranking since 1965” in the 12-team table, which is topped by Australia, followed by India and England. It is the first time in 59 years that Pakistan has fallen so low. Bangladesh was ninth in the latest rankings.
There are now no Pakistani bowlers in the top 10 after paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped from his ninth position before the Bangladesh series to 11th. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is the only Pakistani left in the top 10 batting rankings, while Babar Azam has dropped three places to 12th.
Azam scored only 64 runs in the two Tests against Bangladesh.
In the opening Test match of the series, Pakistan had their backs to the wall as Bangladesh played a much more aggressive brand of cricket.
Pakistan struggled to find the right surface and lost by 10 wickets.
With a 1-0 lead, Bangladesh once again entered the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hoping to make more history on Pakistani soil.
After losing the first day due to bad light and rain, Pakistan took firm control of the second day of the Test by beating Bangladesh 26/6, led by Khurram Shahzad.
Litton Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) pulled Bangladesh out of a strange situation with a partnership that will be remembered for a long time. The duo forged a 165-run stand to change the dynamics of the game.
An inspired bowling performance from Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana saw Bangladesh shake the Pakistan batting unit to its core, with the pace duo combining to take nine wickets.
With 185 players on the order, Pakistan's bowlers bowled with discipline but lacked the attacking tenacity to trouble Bangladesh.
Bangladesh secured a comfortable win by six wickets to complete a historic victory over Pakistan.
The impact of the result changed the entire picture of the ICC World Test Championship standings.
The 2-0 series win saw Bangladesh overtake England to move into fourth place with a points percentage of 45.83.
Meanwhile, Pakistan have slipped to eighth position with a points percentage of 19.05 with two wins in seven matches.
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