Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane jumped three places to enter the top-10 in batsman's list while Ravichandran Ashwin maintained his pole position among all-rounders in the latest Test rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Virat Kohli is the lone Indian batsman to be figuring in the top-10 in the ICC Test batsmen rankings.
Meanwhile, the sports ministry has asked the PCB not to offer a long-term contract to its incumbent director of cricket Mohammad Hafeez yet, who came into the role after the 50-overs World Cup last year.
Pakistan named Babar Azam as their new captain in one-day internationals, putting the elegant batsman in charge of both their limited-overs teams after a stellar year with the bat. The top order batsman, who took over Twenty20 captaincy earlier this year, succeeds Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan's white-ball leader while Azhar Ali also got an extension as skipper of the Test side for the 2020-21 season.
Pakistan's spinners handed their team a 2-0 series victory after ripping through England's batting line-up on the fifth day of the third and final Test at Sharjah on Thursday.
The Australian bowlers took the honours on a sunny day at the Gabba.
Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali shared an unbroken partnership of 132 to lift England to 414 for five and a lead of 311 runs over Pakistan on the fourth day of the third test at Edgbaston on Saturday. Bairstow was unbeaten on 82 and Moeen 60 not out at the close with England in a good position to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series if they can bowl out the touring side on the final day.
An eight-wicket haul from West Indies' Devendra Bishoo breathed fresh life into the first Test against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, leaving his side with a faint chance of pulling off the unlikeliest of wins in the day-night contest.
Chasing 476 for victory, Sri Lanka were all out for 212.
Pakistan retained under-fire skipper Misbah-ul Haq and out-of-form Muhammad Hafeez, but dropped tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan from the 28-man probables' list for the two-Test series against South Africa.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq rates the 2-0 series win over Australia as his country's "best ever" considering his team were without three key bowlers.
Australia were staring at a 2-0 series defeat after Pakistan's bowlers exposed their frailties against spin and reverse swing on day three of the second and final test in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
While Warner's celebration of his half century earlier in the day had been muted, the left-hander's delight at the hundred was palpable as he leapt into the air in trademark fashion and kissed the badge on his helmet.
Captain Kane Williamson cracked an unbeaten century as New Zealand took a valuable 198-run lead against Pakistan on day four of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
Pakistan's teenage fast bowler Naseem Shah led the hosts' recovery against Sri Lanka on a riveting opening day as Test cricket returned to the country on Wednesday for the first time since a militant attack in 2009.
James Anderson claimed his fifth wicket as England enforced the follow-on against Pakistan on the third day of the third and final Test at the Rose Bowl on Sunday, despite a battling century by visiting skipper Azhar Ali.
In order to seal the place in the squad, the duo will have to cancel their league tours in South Africa and Bangladesh.
David Warner scored a sparkling, unbeaten triple hundred after before being reprieved by another no-ball as Australia declared their first innings closed at 589 for three before the dinner-break on Day 4 of the second Test against Pakistan, at the Adelaide Oval, on Saturday.
Younis Khan's superb 218 put Pakistan in a strong position before they picked up four England wickets to take complete control on the third day of the fourth and final Test at The Oval on Saturday.
Pakistan beat Australia by 356 runs in the second and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday to complete a 2-0 series victory.
Crowd trouble tarnished Pakistan's victory over Sri Lanka as missiles were thrown onto the pitch in the third ODI in Colombo.
Sarfaraz says Pak ready for World Test Championship challenge
England have recalled bowler James Anderson, all-rounder Ben Stokes and leg-spinner Adil Rashid to a 14-man squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford starting on Friday.
Pakistan's bowlers showed controlled aggression and intelligence to skittle out New Zealand for 153 on day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The play stopped for a brief moment at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, when a streaker came running to the pitch.
In the bowling department, pacer Mohammad Abbas (13th) and experienced leg-spinner Yasir Shah (24th), who have in the past, been ranked third and first, respectively, and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (32nd) are other Pakistan players to watch.
Pakistan middle-order batsman Mohammad Rizwan hit a defiant half century on a difficult batting pitch to guide his side past the 200-mark in their first innings and frustrate England in the second Test on Friday.
Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq are poised to end their storied careers on a winning note after Pakistan played their way into a strong position on day four of the third Test against West Indies on Saturday.
A heroic and historic century from Darren Bravo put West Indies in sight of the unlikeliest win in the first Test in Dubai on Monday before Pakistan finally prevailed by 56 runs on an absorbing final day of the day-night contest.
Off-spinner R Ashwin, who has been phenomenal in home conditions, has made it to the Test team as the 12th man, while pacer Mohammed Shami has been included in the ODI team.
Left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz has withdrawn himself from Pakistan's two-match T20 International series against Sri Lanka owing to a hand injury.
'They have got so much talent. And in the last 10 years when they have not been playing home Test matches (for security reasons), they have done a remarkable job to be as competitive as they have and continue to bring on the level of talented players they have.'
Pakistan's Rahat Ali removed England's top three batsmen as the first Test at Lord's hurtled towards an exciting climax on Sunday's fourth day. At lunch, England were 90 for three in their second innings, needing a further 193 runs to reach their victory target of 283. James Vince was a Test-best 41 not out and the recalled Gary Ballance 15 not out after Rahat had taken three wickets for 36 runs in eight overs. England captain Alastair Cook launched the chase with a four off the very first ball of the innings when he cut a loose Mohammad Amir delivery to the boundary.
Asad Shafiq and Younus Khan made gritty centuries to lift Pakistan to 340 for six as England's bowlers toiled in perfect batting conditions on the second day of the final Test at The Oval on Friday.
Dropped from a difficult chance by Yasir Shah off Shahid Afridi on seven and again by wicketkeeper Umar Akmal on 76, Kohli otherwise played within himself and gave few chances in his 126-ball innings.
Mitchell Starc shone with bat and ball as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 163 to secure an innings and 18 run victory in the second Test on Friday, the win giving the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday, rose to a career-high second in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers even as A B de Villiers lost his top spot in the batsmen standings.
Security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation in Nehama village of Kulgam following information about the presence of terrorists in the area on Thursday, the officials said.
Captain Brendon McCullum's blistering double hundred and a record 297-run stand with centurion Kane Williamson put New Zealand firmly in control of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Saturday.
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