West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite has moved into the top 20 of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen for the first time after playing a stellar role in his team’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah that ended on Thursday.
Brathwaite, who became the first opener to remain unbeaten in both innings of a Test match with scores of 142 and 60, has gained 13 places to reach a career-best 19th rank while helping the West Indies pull one back in the series that Pakistan won 2-1.
Pakistan, which was top-ranked till India overtook it last month, has lost two points in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings despite the series win because it went in with a 44-point lead over the West Indies and the rankings are weighted to reflect this difference. But Pakistan remains in second position with 109 points, six points behind India and just one point ahead of third-placed Australia. The West Indies has gained two points to reach 69 points and remains in eighth position.
Brathwaite was not the only West Indies batsman to gain in the rankings led by Australia captain Steve Smith as wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich has gained 27 slots to reach a career-best 58th position. He scored 47 and 60 not out and figured in an unbroken stand of 87 with Brathwaite to see the team through to a target of 153 in Sharjah.
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