Yasir Shah crowned worlds no1 Test bowler

LONDON: Legspinner Yasir Shah, who took a 10-for at Lord’s to lead Pakistan to a much awaited victory over England, has climbed up to the top of the ICC rankings for bowlers.Yasir Shah, who became the first Pakistani bowler in 20 years to top the International Cricket Council (ICC) test rankings,’is followed by Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and the England pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad.Mushtaq Ahmed was the last bowler from Pakistan to top the rankings since in December 1996.Yasir has 86 wickets from 13 Tests and is within touching distance of breaking a 120-year old record – the fastest to 100 Test wickets. George Lohmann, the England fast bowler, had reached the mark in 16 Tests in 1896.Yasir had been ranked No. 4 before the start of the series, but a compelling display on a day two pitch offering no turn and remarkable exploitation of a wearing pitch and worried batsmen on day four pushed him up three places.His 6 for 72 in the first innings and 4 for 69 in the second made him the first legspinner ever to claim a 10-for at Lord’s. Among his wickets was a vicious legbreak that pitched a considerable distance outside Gary Ballance’s off stump, turned square and knocked the leg stump back, invoking memories of Shane Warner toppling Andrew Strauss in Edgbaston in the 2005 Ashes.