Younus, Misbah, Azhar move up in ICC rankings

Dubai, Nov 4 (IANS) - After piling up a huge number of runs in the second Test against Australia, Pakistan batsmen Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali have improved their Test rankings and are now sixth, eighth and 18th in the latest ICC rankings released here Tuesday.

Younus, who scored 213 and 46 in Pakistan's 356-run victory at Abu Dhabi in the second Test that ended Monday, has climbed one place to sixth. 

The middle-order batsman, who rose to number-one position following his triple century against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2009, had entered the series in 11th place on 759 ratings points. 

During the two-match series, in which he scored 468 runs, he gained five places and 101 ratings points, and is now just three ratings points behind South Africa's fifth-ranked Hashim Amla.

Skipper Misbah, who scored 69 and 101 not out, which was the joint fastest century in the history of Test cricket, has risen three places to eighth position. 

Azhar, who scored two centuries in the Abu Dhabi Test, jumped nine places to take 18th position.

There are no Indians in the top 10 list of both batsmen and bowlers.

The batting table is headed by Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, with AB de Villiers of South Africa in second position.

In the bowlers rankings, Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has risen 29 places to 36th after taking five wickets in the second Test. 

Yasir's fellow spinner, left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, has climbed 13 places to a career-high of 40th following his figures of two for 94 and five for 120.

Australia's Mitchell Johnson has retained his fourth position with 849 points, two points adrift of Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath in the rankings which continue to be headed by South African pacer Dale Steyn, followed by Aussie Ryan Harris, who missed the Pakistan series due to an injury.

India's Ravichandran Ashwin continues to lead the way in the all-rounders rankings, with Mitchell Johnson dropping one place to fifth.

Other notable movers from the series are Mohammad Hafeez, who has risen four rankings places to 19th, with Steven Smith climbing 10 spots to 20th position.