Tim Paine’s new Aussie side has slipped to fifth place in the world Test rankings after their crushing defeat to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, losing the two-match series 1-0.
Pakistan secured a 373-run win over Australia in the second Test to take the series and send Australia plummeting down the ICC’s team rankings table.
Australia have dropped to fifth place below England and New Zealand, having previously held on to third spot behind South Africa. For their efforts, Pakistan have improved their points standing and are now closer to Sri Lanka, although had they won the first Test, they would have overtaken Sri Lanka on the rankings.
| Team | Matches | Points | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 38 | 4,397 | 116 |
| 2 | South Africa | 35 | 3,712 | 106 |
| 3 | England | 45 | 4,722 | 105 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 23 | 2,354 | 102 |
| 5 | Australia | 36 | 3,663 | 102 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 38 | 3,668 | 97 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 24 | 2,271 | 95 |
| 8 | West Indies | 32 | 2,432 | 76 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 19 | 1,268 | 67 |
| 10 | Zimbabwe | 8 | 12 | 2 |
In the two-match series, 11 batsmen scored more than 100 runs but only three were Australians.
Usman Khawaja recorded the highest score in the series (141) and was also the top run-scorer (229 runs, ave 76.33), but the next highest Aussie score was Travis Head’s 72. There were eight half-centuries scored for Pakistan, along with two centuries, while the Aussies could manage only one century and four half-centuries.
Australia were bowled out for 202 or less on three occasions, while Pakistan’s lowest completed innings was 282. Pakistan also twice scored 400 or more.
Australia’s second highest wicket-taker was part-timer Marnus Labuschagne (seven wickets), while Pakistan bowlers held three of the top four bowling spots, with Mohammad Abbas a sensation, picking up 17 wickets at 10.58 apiece at a strike rate of 26.7 to secure the Player of the Series honours.
Nathan Lyon took 12 wickets (32.08), Bilal Asif nine (17.55) and Yasir Shah eight (37.25) in a series Pakistan will long cherish while the Aussies will, for the second series in a row, be eager to file most memories of this tour away in the hope of moving forward.
Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images
