Rahmat Shah rises to seventh in ICC Test batting rankings

Rahmat Shah has become the first Afghanistan player to reach the top 10 in any category of the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings, rising six places to seventh among batters with 735 rating points in the latest update.

The 33-year-old Afghanistan captain’s ranking followed an innings of 173 against Zimbabwe in the opening Test in Sharjah. The score was his fifth Test century and a career-best innings, according to reports on the match and rankings. The ICC update was released on November 11, 2026.

Shah’s seventh-place position is also the highest Test rating reported for an Afghan cricketer. His 735 points put him ahead of India captain Shubman Gill, who was 10th with 697 points, and South Africa’s Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis. India’s Rishabh Pant ranked eighth with 713 points.

The Sharjah match ended in a draw, with both Afghanistan and Zimbabwe posting totals above 500. Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine rose nine places to 48th after scoring an unbeaten 206 in the second innings. Other Zimbabwe players also moved up the batting rankings following the match, including Brian Bennett, Brendan Taylor and Wessly Madhevere.

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