Liton gains 24 steps in Test rankings

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das climbed 24 steps in the latest ICC Test rankings after scoring a century and a fifty in the first Test of the two-match series against Pakistan in Chattogram.

Liton, who had been struggling with the bat in the limited-overs format and was axed from the Twenty20 international series against Pakistan, found his rhythm against the red ball and picked up his maiden hundred in the first innings. He scored 114 and then went on to score 59 in the second.

Liton was 55th in the ICC Test batsmen rankings before the match and moved up to 31st after the first match. He now has 597 rating points, the highest in his career.

Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper currently has the highest batting average among wicketkeeper-batsmen this year- 54.30. He has scored 543 runs this year, including five fifties and one hundred.

Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim also gained in the latest Test rankings as he moved among the top 20 batsmen in Tests. He moved up three steps to 19th and currently has 645 rating points.

Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque dropped five steps down to 35th, whereas Tamim Iqbal, who missed this Test due to injury, dropped down to 30th. Shakib Al Hasan also dropped down three steps to 42nd after missing the first Test due to an injury.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam moved up three steps to 23rd after picking up his second seven-wicket haul in the Test against Pakistan. Mehidy Hasan Miraz dropped down three steps to 26th after he only managed two wickets in the same match.

Pacer Ebadot Hossain made his way into the top 100 as he currently sits at 98th, with Abu Jayed Rahi dropping down six steps to 67.

There were big changes in rankings for the Pakistan camp as pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi managed to get into the top five in Test rankings after his five-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test. He gained three steps and currently has the highest rating point in his career- 810.

Another Pakistan pacer, Hasan Ali, also gained five steps courtesy of his five-wicket haul against Bangladesh. He now has 755 rating points and is ranked 11th in the bowling rankings.

Pakistan batsman Abid Ali, who was the player of the match of the first Test, gained 28 steps and moved up to 20th in the batting rankings.