Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Noman Ali has climbed to the second spot in the latest ICC Test bowling rankings after his impressive outing against South Africa.
As per details, Noman Ali becomes only the seventh Pakistani bowler ever to cross the 850-point mark, and the first since Yasir Shah reached the feat back in July 2016.
Ali’s previous best was fifth position earlier this year, during Pakistan’s home series against the West Indies, when he touched 806 points.
On the other hand, New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy sits third in the updated rankings.
According to latest rankings, Shaheen Afridi, among other Pakistani bowlers, made notable progress, climbing three spots to 19th. Sajid Khan retained his 21st position, while Mohammad Abbas (27th) and Naseem Shah (34th) also held their places.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier today, Pakistan’s star spinner Asif Afridi broke a 92-year-old record by becoming the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut.
As per details, the 38-year-and-301-day-old cricketer from Peshawar took two wickets on Day 2 of the second Pakistan-South Africa Test in Rawalpindi and picked three more South African batters in the morning session of Day 3 (today).
Asif Afridi broke the 92-year-old record by Charles Marriott (37y 332d), who attained a similar feat way back in 1933.
At 38, 301 days year old, the debut heroics have earned him a place among a revered group of Pakistani bowlers who have made a memorable entry into Test cricket with five-wicket hauls. His performance continues a proud tradition that dates back over six decades.
The trend began in 1964, when Arif Butt became the first Pakistani to achieve the feat, taking six wickets against Australia in Melbourne.
In 2023, Aamir Jamal impressed with a six-wicket haul in his debut Test against Australia in Perth.
Now, in 2025, Asif Afridi has etched his name into the annals of Pakistan cricket history, reinforcing the country’s legacy of producing world-class bowlers capable of making an immediate impact at the highest level.
