Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas shoots to third in Test rankings

E-Paper | October 02, 2026

Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas shoots to third in Test rankings

AFP Published October 21, 2018

Mohammad Abbas on top of the world after destroying Australia. —File photo

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Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas rose to number three in the Test bowling rankings on Sunday following his 17 wickets in the series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates.

The 28-year-old took 10 for 95 to help Pakistan to their biggest Test win — a 373-run hammering of Australia — in the second Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday, giving them a 1-0 series win. He took seven wickets in the drawn first Test in Dubai.

The new International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings see Abbas shoot to third from 14th and he is now behind only England's James Anderson and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada.

Abbas has taken 59 wickets in his 10 matches and became the joint second-fastest Pakistani to take 50 wickets during the second Test — a mark he shares with legendary paceman Waqar Younis and Shabbir Ahmed.

Pakistan's leg-spinner Yasir Shah was the fastest to reach 50 wickets, taking just nine Tests.

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Tariq Rashid

Oct 21, 2018 03:42pm

Had he taken just one more wicket in first test he would be sharing this feat with Yasir Shah..

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Oct 21, 2018 03:46pm

Congrutulations young man. Keep it up.

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Dr Haroon

Oct 21, 2018 03:53pm

Looking at the recent history of Pakistani cricket, there is a 90% chance that no one would remember this guy in a year's time. I have seen many a good cricketers shooting to fame overnight, media turning them into tomorrow's Wasim and Waqar, and their sun setting even before it rose. Give them time to settle down, otherwise you will have more Aamir and sharjils who will get into the tangle of betting scams simply because they want to make a quick buck.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Oct 21, 2018 04:15pm

Well done young man, don't relax and, keep working hard!

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Desi

Oct 21, 2018 04:50pm

Great accomplishment by Abbas. Unfortunately PCB has given him category C contract. Why?

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 21, 2018 05:26pm

Hopefully, he can sustain his performance and position at the top level of the gentleman's game of cricket. As they say, it might be easy to come at top but it's very hard to stay there.

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vorshal

Oct 21, 2018 06:09pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad -- Yes, you are right. We will need to judge his performance as he plays more test cricket against other top teams in the better climatic conditions.

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A.Rehman

Oct 21, 2018 06:45pm

Such high performance but still sent back home and not considered for 20 - 20 matches aginst Australia. Thanks and big regard to our best selectors.

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Prasannajit

Oct 21, 2018 07:20pm

Hope this bowler will find mature quality mentor because Md Amir was once told best fast bowler ever but fixing scandal of a No ball together with former Pakistani captain vanished everything.

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Inder Bisht

Oct 21, 2018 07:38pm

@Dr Haroon, And don't forget Hassan Ali, the darling of media.

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Azam Ali Siddiqui

Oct 21, 2018 08:43pm

If Pakistan has a Physical Education University(Federal),it could coordinate the activities of all the Physical Education colleges in country.This will promote curriculum -coordination and we will get a big bang for a buck.The University will be a research oriented institution and will guide and provide leadership to all Physical Education colleges.This will protect us from field-hockey like debacles.Our schools will have better educated Physical Education school teachers.Sports competitions give good publicity to the country.It will also improve the general health of Pakistan

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Texan

Oct 21, 2018 09:34pm

He needs to work on his outswingers for right hand batsman but he will gain more speed in 1-2 years. This guy will be better than Asif, who I think was the best bowler Pakistan produced since Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

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Abbasshah

Oct 21, 2018 11:44pm

A star is rising,Congrats.

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Dr Haroon

Oct 22, 2018 02:31am

@Inder Bisht That's why I said 90%. Too much media sensationalism. It doesn't give these players time to settle down. One minute they are no one. The next they are heroes. It usually gets to their head, and before you know, they want everything, and cannot differentiate between the right and wrong. It is not these players to blamed. They need time to come to terms with their new found fame and PCB should provide them with psychological support and counselling. Al Jazeera has unearthed more spot fixing. Let's see how many of these budding Waqars and Wasims were in that list.

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Anand

Oct 22, 2018 02:35am

Congratulations ! Great accomplishment ! Keep it going !

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Sam

Oct 22, 2018 10:10am

Why no comments on BCCI conspiracy in the rankings ?

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Bharat Dave

Oct 22, 2018 01:55pm

Truly a class bowler.

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Waseem Sarwar

Oct 22, 2018 02:59pm

@A.Rehman , He doesn't play limited overs cricket and I hope he never plays. Test match bowing is pure skill and getting people out when they aren't slogging is a dying bread. Abbas didn't got many games for Multan Sultans in PSL3 because his bowls a test match length which can easily be slogged in ODIs and T20's. PCB and selectors are doing brilliantly in allowing him to play English county and test matches only. We want him to be fresh and raring to go at Kiwis in few weeks time and then at South Africa at end of year. He is a test match bowler and PCB would ruin him by playing him in ODIs.

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