Pakistan's End of the Year Test Rankings

With 2006 rapidly coming to a close, its a good time to review some of the standings from the ICC, as it relates to Pakistan. It has been an up and down year, and the rankings can now provide a reasonably objective form of assessment.

Within the test realm, Pakistan began the year in 4th position, behind England and India. Over the course of the year, chiefly because of wins over both of them at home, Pakistan was able to rise to third place within the realm of test cricket. A reasonable achievement, which could have been improved upon, if the team had performed even marginally better in the England series over the summer.

If one examines the batting rankings, they really do highlight Pakistan's problems well. With Yousuf at a personal all-time high at #2, and Younis Khan and Inzamam at 9 and 11 respectively, one would expect that the batting lineup was well taken care off, specially when Pakistan and Australia are the only two teams to have 3 batsmen in the top 11. However, the problem arises when we see that the next Pakistani player doesn't show up till #36, which is Imran Farhat. Australia and England have seven batsmen in this zone, India four. While one could perhaps question the skill level of the remaining Pakistani test batsmen, none of the others have received any kind of extended run. The selectors and the coaches have to really provide answers and explanations for their inability to shore up the batting reserved, specially with the upcoming (probably within the next two years) retirement of Inzamam.

Within the bowling, things do look somewhat better. Pakistan has the most bowlers in the top 30, but their first doesn't come up till Shoaib Akhtar at #9, and then Danish Kaneria at 16. Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif are lower down in the 20s, but the intriguing position is that of Shabbir Ahmed at #27. If not for the year long suspension, it is very likely that Shabbir could have been very close to the top of test cricket bowlers with the series over the course of this year.


All in all a year which may seem more intriguing and interesting through the eyes of tabloids and sensationalism, which does not have a lot to show for it in the statistical arena, for the team or for individuals.

Technorati Tags: pakistan, cricket, pakistan cricket board, mohammad yousuf, shabbir ahmed