Dubai, Nov 12:
Veteran batter Rahmat Shah has scripted cricket history for Afghanistan by becoming the first player from the nation to break into the top 10 of any category in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.
According to the latest weekly rankings update released by the International Cricket Council, the 33-year-old climbed six places to reach a career-best seventh spot among Test batters with 735 rating points—also the highest rating ever achieved by an Afghan cricketer. The milestone follows Rahmat’s commanding knock of 173 against Zimbabwe in the opening Test in Sharjah, which marked his fifth Test century.
His surge propelled him ahead of several prominent international batters, including India skipper Shubman Gill (10th), South Africa’s Aiden Markram, and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis. In the same update, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant occupied the eighth position, while Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine jumped nine places to 48th following an unbeaten double century in Sharjah.