Rahmat Shah makes history with top-10 Test ranking breakthrough

Rahmat Shah has made history by becoming the first Afghanistan cricketer to break into the top 10 of any category in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.

The 33-year-old climbed six places to seventh among Test batters following his outstanding 173 in the opening match of Afghanistan’s series against Zimbabwe in Sharjah. The performance also earned him a career-best rating.

It was Rahmat’s fifth Test century and his second of 2026, allowing him to move ahead of several established names, including India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa’s Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.

The achievement adds to an impressive period for Afghanistan cricket. Earlier this month, the national team reached sixth place in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings, their highest-ever position, after winning a tri-series involving Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Zimbabwe veteran Craig Ervine also climbed nine places to 48th among Test batters after scoring an unbeaten double-century in the second innings of the drawn Sharjah encounter.