Pakistan improves Test rankings

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has overtaken India to take fifth position in international Test rankings after their 1-0 series win over South Africa last month.

Pakistan's 1-0 home series win over South Africa helped it climb to fifth spot-ahead of India for the first time since July 2002. Pakistan are now behind table-toppers Australia, who have a rating of 130 to 98 of their own, South Africa, England and New Zealand and ahead of India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh.

Pakistan will have chance of dislodging New Zealand for a fourth place when they play two Tests away series in December. West Indies need to win both matches in the current two Test series against Zimbabwe to improve their rating in the ICC Test Championship table.

West Indies is currently eighth in the official standings. A 2-0 series win would close that gap to six points by boosting the West Indies rating to 85 but a 1-0 series win would see no change. England's 2-0 series win over Bangladesh lifted it to third place in the official standings for the first time since November 2001.

Eight of the ICC Full Member countries will have an opportunity to improve their ratings in December in following series:

Sri Lanka v England (3 Tests) Australia v India (4 Tests) South Africa v West Indies (4 Tests) New Zealand v Pakistan (2 Tests)

Test Championship table correct on 3 Nov 2003:

Team Rating

1. Australia 130

2. South Africa 111

3. England 104

4. New Zealand 104

5. Pakistan 98

6. India 95

7. Sri Lanka 91

8. West Indies 83

9. Zimbabwe 57

10. Bangladesh 0