Bangladesh Break Into Top 6 In ICC Test Rankings For First Time, Pakistan Demoted

Bangladesh Players After Australia Tour & Babar Azam (In Circle) | Image Credit - AFP Photos

Except for Shoriful Islam’s 7/48, Bangladesh produced a miserable show altogether at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena against Australia during the second Test of the two-match series.

Despite staging a spirited show in Darwin in the series opener to pull off a monumental victory, the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side could not survive for even two days in Mackay.

Nevertheless, Sunday was Bangladesh’s greatest ever day in Test cricket history, while Pakistan hit a new low.

Bangladesh Break New Ground In ICC Test Rankings

On Sunday, Bangladesh moved to sixth place in the ICC Test Rankings, three places higher than they stood before the start of their 2026 tour of Australia.

Ever since Bangladesh began playing Test cricket in November 2000, with India as their first opponents at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, they have not climbed to sixth in the ICC Test Rankings for not even once.

Also Read: WTC Table After Australia vs Bangladesh 2nd Test, World Test Championship Points Table

As the ICC Test Rankings show, Bangladesh have 1878 points from 24 Tests, with the rating of 78. Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India and England are ahead of them.

[ICC Test Rankings, As Of August 23, 2026]

Notably, Bangladesh’s best ICC Test Rankings were seventh. It happened in 2024, after they defeated Pakistan 2-0 in their own backyard in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan’s Decline Continues In ICC Test Rankings

On the other hand, Pakistan on Sunday slipped a place further in the ICC Test Rankings. They now have a rating of 75, with 1427 points in 19 matches.

Sri Lanka are placed between Pakistan and Bangladesh, while the West Indies and Zimbabwe are the only teams that are behind them.

Pakistan were recently outclassed by the newly formed England, led by Joe Root. In the first Test of the three-match Test series at Headingley, Leeds, Root and his boys thumped Babar Azam-less Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs.

Just like Bangladesh had something to cheer in MacKay, thanks to Shoriful’s heroics, Pakistan had good time against England when Ali Usman took five wickets in a single innings during the first Test at Headingley.

Pakistan, after the humbling defeat, languished ninth on the WTC points table. They have two wins and five defeats in the ongoing 2025-27 cycle, with a PCT of 19.05.

What Next For Bangladesh & Pakistan?

Bangladesh will next play West Indies at home. There will be two Tests between late October and early November, although dates and venues are yet to be determined.

Pakistan, meanwhile, will play two more Tests in England. The second Test will be held at Lord’s from August 27 onwards, while the third Test match will get underway on September 9 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Also Read: Why Rishabh Pant Retired Hurt In The Middle Of IND vs SL 2nd Test?