Yasir Shah Become No.1 Ranked Test Bowler

Dubai: Wrist spinner Yasir Shah has become the number-one ranked bowler in the world after he bowled Pakistan to 75 runs victory over England in the first Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

Yasir is the first Pakistan bowler to top rankings since Mushtaq Ahmed achieved the distinction in December 1996, while Shane Warne was the last wrist spinner to surge to the number-one position in December 2005.

Yasir, who returned figures of six for 72 and four for 69, has leapfrogged India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England’s fast bowling pair of James Anderson (who missed the Test due to an injury) and Stuart Broad into the top spot after his achievement earned him 32 points.

Yasir won the player of the match award in his first Test outside Asia and now leads Ashwin by seven points and Anderson by 10 points.

England's Chris Woakes has also made an impressive gain in the latest MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers. Woakes recorded match figures of 11 for 102 for which he has earned a jump of 28 places that has put him in a career-high 36th position.

Another Pakistan's bowler Rahat Ali, who took four wickets in the match, has also achieved a career-high ranking of 32nd after jumping three places, while Mohammad Amir has returned to the rankings just inside the top 100 in 93rd position.

There was more good news for Pakistan when its middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq also achieved a career-high ranking in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen.

Pakistan captain Mishab-ul-Haq, who scored his 10th Test century while scoring 114 in the first innings, has moved up one place to ninth, while wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed has gained two places and is now in 17th position.

For England, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance have improved their rankings. Bairstow is now on a career-high 16thposition after moving up two places, while Ballance is in 40th position having risen two places.

The second Test begins at Old Trafford on Friday, 22 July.