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Pakistan captain Babar Azam and experienced pacer Mohammad Abbas have moved up in the latest ICC Test rankings. The rankings were updated after the first Test between Pakistan and the West Indies. Pakistan lost the match by 90 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. The defeat gave the West Indies a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Despite the loss, several Pakistani players made progress in the individual rankings. Mohammad Abbas was Pakistan’s biggest mover among the bowlers. The veteran fast bowler delivered an impressive performance in the Test. Abbas took three wickets in the first innings. He then produced an outstanding spell in the second innings. The right-arm pacer claimed five wickets for 22 runs. He finished the match with eight wickets in total. His performance helped him climb nine places in the ICC Test bowling rankings. Abbas is now ranked 17th among Test bowlers. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali remains Pakistan’s highest-ranked Test bowler. He retained seventh position in the latest rankings. Shaheen Shah Afridi, however, dropped four places. He is now ranked 29th. Off-spinner Sajid Khan also slipped one position. He moved down to 35th in the bowling rankings. Babar Azam also made progress in the Test batting rankings. The Pakistan captain played an important role during the team’s chase in the second innings. Pakistan needed 211 runs for victory. Babar remained unbeaten on 58 as Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. His fighting innings was one of the few positive moments for the visitors. The performance lifted Babar four places in the rankings. He is now ranked 15th among Test batters. Former Pakistan captain Shan Masood also moved up after scoring a century in the first innings. Masood’s hundred helped him gain eight places. He is now ranked 36th in the ICC Test batting rankings. However, some Pakistani batters suffered a decline. Saud Shakeel dropped three places to 24th. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan also fell eight places and is now ranked 26th. Salman Ali Agha dropped four positions. He now occupies 32nd place in the latest Test batting standings. The rankings provide some individual encouragement for Pakistan despite their disappointing result in Trinidad. The national team will now look to bounce back in the second and final Test against the West Indies.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir believes Shaheen Shah Afridi’s recent decline in form is largely the result of poor workload management, arguing that the left-arm pacer was overburdened during the early years of his international career. Amir made the remarks after Shaheen was left out of Pakistan’s Test squad for the ongoing series against the West Indies, a decision that has sparked fresh debate over the fast bowler’s form, fitness, and future in the longest format of the game. Shaheen was once considered Pakistan’s premier fast bowler across all three formats, but his performances in Test cricket have dipped since returning from a serious knee injury in 2023. Although he remains a key figure in Pakistan’s white-ball plans, his red-ball performances have raised concerns among former players and cricket experts. Since making his comeback, Shaheen has taken 27 wickets in 16 Test innings at an average of 40.11, with a strike rate of 67.6. His performances during Pakistan’s 2-0 home Test series defeat to Bangladesh also came under criticism, particularly because of a noticeable drop in bowling speed. The left-arm pacer, who previously relied on consistently high pace, was often clocked in the mid-120 km/h range during the series. Speaking on The Scoop by Wisden, Amir said he had predicted such challenges years ago, warning that excessive cricket without proper workload management could eventually take a toll on Shaheen’s body and performance. According to Amir, fast bowlers require careful planning throughout their careers, especially when they are expected to play regularly across all formats. He said failing to manage a pacer’s workload can affect pace, rhythm, consistency, and overall fitness over time. Amir recalled giving an interview in either 2020 or 2021 in which he expressed concern about the amount of cricket Shaheen was playing. Drawing from his own experience as a fast bowler, Amir said he warned that continuous cricket without adequate rest would eventually lead to physical and performance-related struggles. He added that the warning appears to have become reality, as Shaheen is now facing issues with pace, consistency, and fitness despite still being relatively young. Amir stressed that a player of Shaheen’s age should ideally be at the peak of his career, but the current situation suggests that something has gone wrong in his development. He maintained that poor workload management remains the biggest factor behind the left-arm pacer’s struggles. The statistics support Amir’s concerns about Shaheen’s workload before his injury. Between making his international debut and suffering a knee injury in July 2022, Shaheen bowled 809.4 overs in Test cricket, more than any other Pakistan bowler during that period. Former leg-spinner Yasir Shah ranked second with 606.2 overs, while Hasan Ali was the next-highest fast bowler with 427.3 overs. The figures highlight the significant responsibility placed on Shaheen as the leader of Pakistan’s pace attack, with many now questioning whether better workload management could have helped preserve his fitness and long-term effectiveness.