Move Aside India...PkCricket on the Rise!!!!

Pakistan Leapfrog India in ICC Test Rankings

Pakistan's triumph against Australia in the Dubai Test ensured that the team will take fifth spot - pushing India down to sixth in International Cricket Council's Test rankings.

Reported by: Press Trust of India

Last updated on Monday, 27 October, 2014 23:07 IST

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Pakistani bowler Imran Khan (L) celebrates during his team's Test match against Australia in Dubai.

© AFP

Dubai: India are all set to drop a rung to sixth in the ICC Test rankings, replaced by arch-rivals Pakistan in the fifth position after Misbah-ul-Haq's men took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series against Australia here.

"Pakistan's victory in the Dubai Test has not only ensured that it will move ahead of India in fifth position irrespective of how the Abu Dhabi Test ends, it has dashed Australia hopes of regaining the number-one Test ranking," the ICC said in a statement. (Also read: Misbah hails Pakistan's crushing win against Australia)

To move ahead of South Africa, Australia needed to win both the Tests. Now, their best series result can be a 1-1 draw, which will keep them in second position, three points behind South Africa.

In contrast, if Pakistan win the second Test, then they will leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India into third position.

A 1-1 draw will mean they will finish in fifth place on 99 ratings points -- three ahead of India and two behind fourth-ranked Sri Lanka, while a drawn Test in Abu Dhabi will see Pakistan move to fourth place.

Misbah the Magnificent

Misbah closes in on Pakistan captaincy record

Stats highlights at the end of the fifth day of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at Dubai

Bishen Jeswant

October 26, 2014

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Misbah-ul-Haq is one win away from equaling the record for the most Test wins by a Pakistan captain © AFP

13 Number of Tests that Misbah-ul-Haq has won as captain of Pakistan. The record of most wins by a Pakistan captain, 14, is jointly held by Imran Khan and Javed Miandad.

2 Number of back-to-back Test wins for Pakistan against Australia. Prior to this, Pakistan lost 13 consecutive Tests to Australia, extending back to 1999. Their previous win was even longer ago, in 1995. The only top-eight teams to have won fewer Tests against Australia in the last 20 years are New Zealand and Sri Lanka, who have only won a Test each.

1 Number of Test matches that Australia have won in Asia, since 2007. They have nine losses and four draws, with their only win coming against Sri Lanka, at Galle.

35 Zulfiqar Babar (35 years and 316 days) is the oldest left-arm bowler from Pakistan to have picked up a five-wicket haul in Tests. The only other left-armer from Pakistan to have done this after the age of 35 is Iqbal Qasim (35 years and 40 days), also versus Australia, in 1988. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Nazir are the only Pakistan bowlers older than Babar, who have taken a Test five-for.

7 Number of wickets taken by Yasir Shah in this Test - the second most by a Pakistan spinner on debut, and the best by a Pakistan legspinner. The overall record for the best figures by a legspinner on debut is held by Narendra Hirwani (16/136).

221 Pakistan's margin of victory against Australia. In terms of wins by runs, this is their biggest against Australia, though there have been three instances of Pakistan achieving innings victories against Australia after batting first.

2 Number of fourth-innings fifties for Mitchell Johnson, while batting at No. 9 or lower. No other player batting at these positions has scored more than one fourth-innings fifty. Johnson has scored 1657 runs batting at No. 8 or below, which is the second most in the last eight years.

2 Number of wickets taken in 122.2 overs when teams have batted fourth on the final day of a Test at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, before this Test. In the fourth innings of this game, six wickets were taken from 68.1 overs bowled on the final day.

273 Number of balls played by Australia between their fourth and fifth boundaries during their fourth innings. David Warner hit a four of the last ball of the ninth over, the next boundary after which was hit by Mitchell Johnson off the third ball of the 55th over.

5 Steve Smith's batting average in fourth innings' before this Test. He had scored 20 runs from 4 innings. With his knock of 55 during Australia's fourth innings in this Test, he has now pushed his average up to 15.

Shah shank Redemption?

Pakistan usually have several quality legspinners in their domestic circuit but it has taken four years for one to reach the national team after the decline of Danish Kaneria. And this time the legspinner has emerged from the northern Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - a region which is more renowned for producing aggressive fast bowlers. Yasir Shah announced himself on the Test stage with a three-wicket haul that helped Pakistan take a hefty first-innings lead.

Shah, 28, is a Pathan by ethnicity and was born in the town of Swabi but mostly played cricket in nearby Peshawar due to the lack of cricket facilities in his hometown. He isn't someone plucked from obscurity and pitchforked into the national team. He has played at every rung Under-19s upwards but found it difficult to secure a place thanks to the presence of Kaneria, Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal over the past decade.

In nearly 13 years since his first-class debut, he has 279 wickets at 24.43 in 76 matches. He did earn his ODI and T20 debut soon after the 2011 World Cup but with Ajmal developing into a world-class performer, Shah couldn't establish himself. Now with Ajmal facing an uncertain future due to his suspect bowling action, Shah has been afforded another chance. He hails from the same town that produced Pakistan left-arm pacer Junaid Khan and legspinner Fawad Ahmed, who represented Australia in 2013 after being fast-tracked to citizenship.

Pakistan has a great history with legspinners, starting from Amir Elahi during the country's early days in international cricket to Intikhab Alam, Abdul Qadir, Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish Kaneria. It's a list Shah aims to join.

"I have been waiting for the chance for so long," Shah said with a big smile after the third day's play in Dubai. "I think it's still not late as I have plenty of cricket ahead of me. I had obviously played my whole career in domestic wishing to play Test cricket so I am happy with the opportunity that finally came my way."

Shah grew up watching plenty of Shane Warne videos but his action and stride are different from Warne. He has more of a fast bowler's temperament, constantly attacking the batsman. While commenting on Shah, Warne said: "I like the look of this leggie Yasir Shah, plenty of energy & nice variations of pace."

When Shah was informed that his hero Warne had praised his bowling, his face lit up. He thanked Warne for his kind words. "I actually started bowling legspin watching Shane Warne and he is my idol so I am privileged that he has acknowledged me. My brother who is in UK used to show me his videos and send me the copies so I tried to model my career watching him. I really appreciate the comment by such a legendary player."

His sixth ball in Test cricket was a no-ball, which was reverse swept by David Warner for a boundary. It was the first no-ball by a Pakistani spinner in the last two years. He conceded six fours and two sixes and conceded four runs per over - the most expensive bowler in the side. He however delivered quality spells, besides getting the crucial wickets of David Warner and Steven Smith. "Initially, to concentrate on line and length, I had to bowl a little quick, as it helped me get into the proper position and land the ball in the right spot," he said.

Yasir also said the experienced pair of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan gave him plenty of advice. "Obviously on a debut you are nervous but I got off to a good start and that further gave me confidence. I was positive as I viewed the match as similar to a domestic game. I am happy I have got an important wicket like Warner."

Sarfraz Per Stripes

Sarfraz earns his stripes

Sarfraz Ahmed was long seen as a lightweight in international cricket, but he is changing that perception with sheer weight of runs

	Sarfraz Ahmed has crossed 50 in his last five Test innings but says his 'best is yet to come' © Getty Images  Enlarge
Related Links Report : Australia solid after rapid Sarfraz ton Features : The second quickest Test ton by a keeper Players/Officials: Sarfraz Ahmed Matches: Australia v Pakistan at Dubai (DSC) Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of United Arab Emirates Teams: Australia | Pakistan

Gareeb ka bachcha (son of a poor man) was a line used for Sarfraz Ahmed in the Dubai press box as he scored his second Test hundred. It's not that he belongs to a poor family but it's a common phrase referring to someone who is never taken seriously.

But now he has earned respect after scoring more runs than any of his team-mates in his last five Test matches, averaging 63.50, and scoring hundreds in successive Tests. Today's century, off 80 deliveries, was the fourth fastest in Pakistan's history, and the second quickest by any wicketkeeper.

Sarfraz hails from a religious family and became aHafiz, someone who has memorised the entire Qur'an. His father, who set up a stationery shop in Karachi, always wanted Sarfraz to focus on his studies rather than waste his time playing cricket. Sarfraz always wanted to make a name in cricket but his father didn't live long enough to see Sarfraz reach the top.

Sarfraz captained the Pakistan Under-19 team that won the Word Cup in 2006 and though he broke through to the senior team in the next year, he wasn't seen as an integral part of the team until his 48 against Sri Lanka in the Sharjah Test earlier this year.

He didn't get long enough spells to settle down in the Pakistan set-up, and wasn't regarded as international material in those years. "Earlier in my career I was more concerned about whether I will get another opportunity or not and that was the thing that kept me occupied," he explained.

"But now I am given all the support even though still I have a lot in mind but the focus is to perform. I am playing with more freedom and support back in the [dressing room] and [that has] helped me a lot in giving my performance. Players might have been performing individually but our efforts unfortunately are not able to win but I am hopeful soon we will be winning track again."

Since his comeback in January, his Test-match scores - 7, 74, 5, 48, 55, 52*, 103, 55, 109 - are weighty enough to make him the long-term option for the wicketkeeper-batsman slot, especially given Pakistan's troubles with the bat in recent years.

Early in his career, Sarfraz carried the reputation of being a fine wicketkeeper but a mediocre batsman. Over the past year, the questions about his batting have started to disappear. Although he is happy with his recent form, he suggests that his "best is yet to come". His exuberant celebrations after scoring a fifty or a hundred show how desperate he is for runs, and he acknowledges the support he has received by bowing to the dressing room.

Though he bats at No. 7, he has set his sights on big hundreds. He averages 41.36 in first-class cricket and has a highest score of 213*. "It's just a start," he said, when asked if this was the best innings he has played. "My number is low in the order and I mostly have had to play with the tail so it's not like I can't score big but it's a matter of chance. Sometime if I get a lengthy partnership with someone in the top order I can do it."

YOUNIS!!!

Younis makes 25th hundred, and history

Stats highlights from the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at Dubai

October 22, 2014

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Azhar Ali and Younis Khan have posted all of Pakistan's last three 100-plus third-wicket partnerships in Tests © AFP

25 Number of Test hundreds that Younis Khan has scored, equalling the record for the most by a Pakistan batsman, held by Inzamam-ul-Haq. Across countries there are 19 batsmen who have scored 25 hundreds or more.

1 Number of Pakistan batsman who have scored a hundred against all nine other Test playing nations - Younis. Both Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf have hundreds against all Test nations except South Africa.

2 Number of regular legspinners who have made Test debut for Pakistan in the last 17 years. Apart from Yasir Shah, who is debuting in this Test, Danish Kaneria made his debut in 2000, against England.

3 Sets of father and two sons who have played Test cricket. The two sets prior to Geoff, Shaun and Mitchell Marsh are India's Lala, Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath, and New Zealand's Walter, Richard and Dayle Hadlee.

4 Number of players making debuts in this Test. The last time that there were four or more debutants in a Test between two top-eight sides was also between Australia and Pakistan, at Lord's in 2010.

3 Number of 100-plus third-wicket partnerships for Pakistan since December 2009. Younis Khan and Azhar Ali were involved in all three.

2 Number of times since November 2011 that Nos. 3 and 4 have made 50-plus scores in the same innings for Pakistan. The last four instances of Pakistan batsmen doing this have all been in the UAE.

1 Number of Tests since 2001 where Pakistan have scored at less than one run per over in the first ten overs of a Test innings.They scored at exactly one run per over today in this period. The only previous Test was against England in 2010, where Pakistan scored eight and nine in their first and second innings respectively.

PK READIES FOR OZ

Pakistan regrouped to launch a spin attack on Australia in the first of the two Tests, which starts here in Dubai on Wednesday (October 22), with both captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Michael Clarke agreeing it will be a tough series.

Though Pakistan will be hard-pressed to fill the huge void left by the absence of suspended Saeed Ajmal, Misbah put up a brave face, hoping the replacements will perform.

Ajmal, who has been suspended due to an illegal bowling action, has single-handedly ruled the dry and slow tracks of Pakistan's neutral venues in the United Arab Emirates. He has taken 37 wickets in six Tests (three of which Pakistan won) in Dubai, which includes 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of England in 2012.

Pakistan have also lost frontline seamers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz – both through knee injuries – and have to rely on uncapped leg-spinner Yasir Shah and two-Test left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, both of whom are likely to play.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, under pressure to score runs after managing nought and 15 in the preceding 3-0 One-Day series defeat, admitted Ajmal's absence is significant.

"Ajmal has left a big hole," said Misbah, who leads a team whose last Test series win over Australia was back in 1994.

"Everybody knows that Australia is a top and tough side, so we need to play our best players. I think we have experienced and talented players who can fill in," said Misbah.

The return of veteran batsman Younis Khan and Azhar Ali will boost Pakistan's fragile batting as they seek to remain unbeaten in a Test series in the UAE since they were forced to decamp in 2009 due to security fears in their country.

Australia will also look to include two spinners in Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe despite their unimpressive record of losing five of the last six Tests (one draw) in which they played with two spinners.

The Australians have dominated Pakistan of late, winning 13 out of the last 14 Tests against them.

Australia will hope skipper Michael Clarke – their top Test scorer in 2013 with 1,093 – anchors the batting after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained two months ago.

Clarke failed to get much-needed practice in the 153-run defeat in the four-day tour game against Pakistan 'A' on Sunday, managing just ten and five.

Clarke admitted Ajmal will be missed by Pakistan.

"I think there is no doubt that Ajmal is an amazing bowler. Obviously Pakistan would wish they had him available for selection," said Clarke, who admitted he was lacking match practice.

"I wouldn’t call it lack of form. The last time I played, I made 68 not out, which was in a One-Day series against Zimbabwe," said Clarke of the match in August.

"The time before that I got a golden duck and before that I got 161 not out. So in my last three bats I think I am doing okay in regards to form. I think there’s certainly a lack of game practice under my belt."

Australia will hope all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, will be able to fill in for the more experienced Shane Watson who is out of the tour due to a calf injury.

Australia's pace attack will be led by Mitchell Johnson who bowled remarkably well in the two One-Days he played – taking six wickets – and supported by the hard-working Peter Siddle.

Clarke said he always rates Pakistan as a tough opposition.

"Pakistan has a very good team; they've got a lot of talent in this team and a lot of experience as well. The Australian team knows we have to be at our best to beat the Pakistani side in our conditions.

"We have the utmost respect for them. Test cricket is very different from One-Day cricket and T20 cricket as well. Bringing some experience back into the Pakistan team will help them. Their senior players know these conditions really well as they've played a lot against Australia.

"The respect is there and we know we have to be at our best to compete and to beat them."

A 2-0 clean-sweep would return Australia to the top of the Test rankings but Clarke feels playing better and a win away from home is more important than the top slot.

"I don't think that's our focus. Our focus is playing really good consistent cricket. We certainly know we have to continue to perform away from home. The great teams that I've seen and been lucky enough to play with seem to have consistency at home and away. That's probably our greatest challenge as a Test team.”

The second Test will be played in Abu Dhabi from October 30.

Teams (from):

Pakistan:Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah.

Australia: Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Steven Smith, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Brad Haddin, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Johnson, Steve O'Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, Nathan Lyon.

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Marais Erasmus (RSA)

TV umpire: Nigel Llong (ENG)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) 

Pakistan Climbing ICC Ladder

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has a chance to climb up to the third spot in the Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings if it beats Australia 2-0 in the two-Test series at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting on Wednesday in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 
A one-nil victory for sixth-place Pakistan, which currently lies level on points with India, will move it up two ratings places to fourth, while a 2-0 win will push them even further up the ladder into third place, 12 points behind Australia, which will lose further ground on South Africa, says a press release issued here. Even a 1-1 draw will see Pakistan edge clear of India, while Australia will slip three points behind the leaders. 
In contrast, Australia having a two-nil series win over Pakistan will lift Michael Clarke's charges to the top of the summit one point clear of South Africa, which currently holds top spot. A one-nil series victory will move Australia to join South Africa level on 124 points, but the Proteas will continue to hold the slenderest of 0.24 of an advantage. Australia was most recently the number-one ranked Test side between May and July 2014, before South Africa overtook them. Before then, Australia last held top spot since the new rankings system was introduced in 2002 until August 2009. 
In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, Australia will be looking to the fit-again Clarke (seventh) and its top-ranked batsman David Warner (fifth) to lay the platform in its innings. 
Misbah-ul-Haq is sitting in 10th position and Younus Khan is 11th with both batsmen separate by just three ratings points and aiming to maintain an upward trajectory. 
In the Reliance ICC Players Rankings for Test Bowlers, Australia currently has three bowlers well-positioned to improve their ratings. 
In the absence of number-two ranked Ryan Harris, left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson, who is currently ranked in fourth place, has Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath in his sights as he aims to shave the seven-point deficit. Johnson is joined in the top 20 by team-mates Peter Siddle (12th) and off-spinner Nathan Lyon (18th).