Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah has achieved a historic milestone in the latest rankings released by the International Cricket Council. Through exceptional performances in the longest format of the game, he has accomplished a feat that no other batter from Afghanistan has ever managed in Test cricket. With this remarkable upward movement in the fresh standings, he has firmly secured his place inside the elite top ten. Prior to this, fellow countryman Rashid Khan had already established global dominance through his exceptional performances across formats.
Rahmat Shah Climbs to Seventh Position
In the newly published ICC Test rankings, Rahmat Shah has jumped six places to secure the number seven spot directly. This marks the very first instance of an Afghan batter breaking into the top 10 of the ICC Test batting charts. Rahmat Shah played a sensational knock of 173 runs during the first Test match against Zimbabwe, which propelled his rating points directly to 735. Although the Afghanistan national team plays relatively fewer Test matches compared to major full members, maintaining this prolific scoring form could soon see him break into the top five as well.
Surpassing Established Stars
This remarkable century marks the fifth Test hundred of Rahmat's career. Courtesy of this six-spot surge, Rahmat has surpassed notable international names including India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa opener Aiden Markram, and Sri Lanka batter Kamindu Mendis. All these players have slipped down by one position each in the updated table. In recent times, Afghanistan has enjoyed a stellar run, having previously defeated Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to claim the sixth position in the ICC ODI team rankings, which stands as their highest ever. The Afghan side also triumphed in a recent triangular series.
Rashid Khan Maintains His Supremacy
Among Afghanistan's other premier performers, Rashid Khan continues to shine brightly across formats. Rashid Khan is currently holding the number one spot in the ICC ODI bowlers' rankings. His rating stands at 760 points, giving him a commanding lead of roughly 100 points over the second-placed bowler. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj holds the second spot with 760 rating points, meaning Rashid's throne faces no immediate danger. Furthermore, Rashid Khan also sits firmly at the summit of the T20 International all-rounders' list, where his rating is recorded at 731 points.
