Pakistan’s recent 2-0 Test series defeat to Bangladesh has resulted in their lowest Test ranking in nearly six decades. The shock loss has dropped Pakistan two places in the ICC Test rankings, placing them in the eighth position. This is their worst ranking since 1965.
Pakistan has hit its lowest Test cricket ranking in almost six decades following a 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed this on Wednesday, marking a significant fall for Pakistan, once a dominant team in Test cricket. The last time Pakistan ranked this low was in 1965.
“Pakistan dropped two places — from sixth to eighth — in the Test rankings after suffering a shock series loss 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.
In the second Test, played in Rawalpindi, Bangladesh sealed a six-wicket victory over Pakistan, securing their first-ever Test series win against the home team. This unexpected result caused Pakistan to drop 6th to 8th place in the ICC Test rankings. Bangladesh, typically considered a lower-ranked team, now sits in 9th place.
The defeat also affected individual player rankings. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s top fast bowler, dropped out of the top 10 bowlers, falling to 11th place. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is the only Pakistani player still ranked in the top 10 for batting. Pakistan’s star batter, Babar Azam, struggled during the series, managing only 64 runs across the two matches, which caused him to fall three places to 12th in the rankings.
This series loss continues Pakistan’s recent struggles in Test cricket. The team has now lost five consecutive Test matches. Meanwhile, Bangladesh celebrated their victory, with the team receiving a warm welcome upon their return home. The Bangladesh Cricket Board honoured the players for their historic win, their first-ever series victory against Pakistan on Pakistani soil.
As Bangladesh gears up for their next series against India, Pakistan will need to reflect on its performance and find ways to recover from this low point in their cricket history.