Pakistan fast bowling sensation Mohammad Abbas whose 10/95 destroyed Australia in Abu Dhabi earlier this week has climbed to the 3rd spot in the latest ICC Test rankings for bowlers. The bowler who has only played 10 Tests so far in his short international career had started the 2-Test series against Australia on the 21st position. But his haul of 17 wickets in the two matches saw him leapfrog 18 places by the time Tim Paine's side was delivered a 373-run hammering in Abu Dhabi.
There have only been three bowlers in cricket history who have reached the 800-point mark in fewer Tests and all of them did it more than a century ago - England’s Tom Richardson (eight) matches in 1896, Australia’s Charlie Turner (nine) and John Ferris (nine) in 1892.
With 829 points he now lies behind England's James Anderson (899) and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada (882) in the rankings.
Also, Abbas' current average of 15.64 is the best for any player in the last 100 years and the fourth-best overall. He became the first fast bowler to take 10-for in the 16-year history of cricket tests in the United Arab Emirates. His 17 wickets in the series earned man of the series.
Abbas who now has 59 Test scalps to his name also became the joint second fastest Pakistani bowler to the 50 wickets landmark just behind fellow teammate Yasir Shah who got there in 9 Tests. He now shares the record with the legendary Waqar Younis and former pacer Shabbir Ahmed.
