Rahmat Shah Becomes First Afghan in ICC Test Top Ten
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah has broken into the ICC Test top ten, becoming the first player from his country to reach the top ten of the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings after a superb 173 against Zimbabwe.
Rahmat climbed six places to seventh in the latest rankings, earning a career-high rating. His innings came in the opening match of Afghanistan’s two-Test series against Zimbabwe in Sharjah, which ended in a draw.
The 32-year-old registered his fifth Test century and his second of the year. In moving up, he passed India’s Shubman Gill, South Africa’s Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.
ICC Test top ten: a first for Afghanistan
No Afghan player had reached the top ten in any category of the ICC Test rankings before. The gap shows how young Afghanistan’s Test history is. The country played its first Test only in 2018, and its players have had few chances to build long Test records.
Rahmat has been the steadiest of them. His 173 in Sharjah was his fifth Test hundred, and it anchored Afghanistan’s innings in a match where the bowlers had little joy. The draw kept the series level, but the ranking rise gave Afghanistan a milestone to celebrate.
The achievement follows another high point for Afghanistan cricket. Earlier this month, the team reached sixth in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, its best position yet, after winning the tri-series involving Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
For Pakistan’s cricket fans, the rise is easy to follow. Afghanistan is a neighbour and a regular opponent, and its progress is watched closely across the region. Pakistani supporters have seen Afghan players grow from newcomers into a side that can now claim a top-ten Test batter.
Other movers in the latest rankings
Zimbabwe veteran Craig Ervine also made strong progress after the Sharjah match. He climbed nine places to 48th in the Test batting rankings after scoring an unbeaten 206 in the second innings.
The two-match Test series between Bangladesh and West Indies also brought changes. West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican climbed 11 places to joint 19th in the Test bowling rankings after taking 16 wickets in the series. He achieved a career-high rating and was named Player of the Series.
His team-mate Justin Greaves moved up one place to joint eighth among Test all-rounders. West Indies batter Kavem Hodge rose 12 places to 52nd, while Bangladesh’s Towhid Hridoy jumped to 60th after previously sitting outside the top 100.
There were further movements in the ODI rankings after the first two matches of the five-match series between India and New Zealand. India all-rounder Axar Patel climbed 23 places to 21st among ODI bowlers, while Arshdeep Singh moved up 11 places to joint 31st. Gurnoor Brar rose from outside the top 100 to 48th as the leading wicket-taker in the series, and New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson also improved.
What it means for Afghanistan
The top-ten place gives Afghanistan a new marker of progress in the longest format. The team has grown fast in white-ball cricket, but Test cricket demands deeper batting and more patience, and Rahmat’s record shows that depth is now coming.
The second Test against Zimbabwe gives him a chance to climb higher and to strengthen Afghanistan’s claim as a serious Test side.
For now, the number stands on its own. Seventh in the world, first Afghan ever in the top ten, and a career-high rating at 32. It is the kind of milestone that will be quoted whenever Afghan cricket is discussed. Geo Super reported the rankings update on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s own Test series is under way at the same time. Sri Lanka reached 114-3 on day two of the first Test in Rawalpindi, and Pakistan’s debutant trio set a Test record in the same match. The second Test will also be played in Rawalpindi. Afghanistan’s rise also comes after Scotland ended its bilateral cricket ties with Afghanistan.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Rahmat Shah?
He is Afghanistan’s captain and its most reliable Test batter, now the first Afghan in the top ten of the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings.
What did Rahmat Shah score against Zimbabwe?
He scored 173 in the opening match of the two-Test series in Sharjah. It was his fifth Test century and his second of the year.
Where does Rahmat Shah rank now?
He is seventh in the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings, up six places, with a career-high rating.
Has any Afghan player reached the Test top ten before?
No. Rahmat Shah is the first player from Afghanistan to break into the top ten of any category in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.
