Pakistan has experienced a significant decline in its cricket standings following its first-ever series loss to Bangladesh, which has resulted in the team dropping to the eighth position in the ICC Test rankings. o matches, both played in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan was thoroughly outplayed.
In the first Test, Pakistan was defeated by a staggering 10 wickets. The second Test also ended in a defeat, with the hosts losing by six wickets. Before the series, Pakistan was ranked sixth, but these consecutive losses have caused them to fall behind the West Indies, settling at eighth place with just 76 rating points.
This ranking drop is particularly significant as it reflects Pakistan’s worst performance in Test cricket rankings since 1965, excluding a brief period when the team was unranked due to insufficient matches. Despite their success, Bangladesh remains in the ninth position, still behind Pakistan, although they gained 13 rating points from the series.
The 2-0 series victory has, however, significantly benefited Bangladesh in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2023-25, where they have climbed to fourth place. They now sit behind India, Australia, and New Zealand, with 45.83 percentage points and 33 points earned from three wins and three losses in six Tests.
Bangladesh’s next challenge is a two-Test series against India, beginning on September 19 in Chennai. In the World Test Championship, teams are awarded 12 points for a victory, four points for a draw, and six points for a tie, with the rankings based on the percentage of points accumulated.
