Bangladesh, South Africa cricketers rise in Test rankings

DUBAI: Despite inclement weather preventing a positive result for either side, there was some good news for several Bangladesh and South Africa players from Saturday’s drawn first Test in Chittagong.
Tamim Iqbal (57) moved up one place to 26th place. Just 17 points now separate Iqbal, Mominul Haque (down three places to 27th) and Shakib Al Hasan (up one to 28th).
Mahmudullah has moved into the top 50 for the first time in his career after scoring 67 in Bangladesh’s sole innings and the 29-year-old now lies in joint 49th place.
The biggest mover on either side was wicket-keeper Liton Das whose 50 vaulted him 19 places to a career high 80th.
Faf du Plessis moved up one place to 18th after scoring 48 in Chittagong, while his team-mate Dean Elgar climbed seven places to a career high 41st position, in his 17th Test, after scoring 47 and 28 not out.
In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, South Africa’s Morne Morkel dropped one place to 10th. Off-spinner Simon Harmer is the highest mover by 17 places in the latest rankings and the 26-year-old Pretoria man now lies in a career high 48th position after taking three wickets for 105 runs.
There was positive upward movement for another spinner, Bangladesh’s Jubair Hossain, whose leg-spin claimed three wickets for 58 in the match. As a consequence, the 19-year-old has moved up seven places to a career high 52nd.