Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Image Credit: Twitter)

Pakistan consolidates on their fifth position on the ICC World Test Championship points table after their 2-0 clean sweep in the home series over South Africa on Monday.

The Babar Azam led side won the first Test match in Karachi by 7 wickets – Fawad Alam made his first Test ton at home after making his debut in 2009 – and in the second Test in Rawalpindi, Hasan Ali wreaked havoc on the fifth day to claim a fifer on return to the Test side as the hosts won by 95 runs.

Chasing a target of 370, South African fans must have been optimistic of a chance for a victory after the Proteas finished Day 4 at the score of 127/1. However, the hope of victory was diminished with each wicket despite opener Aiden Markram scoring a hundred.

Hasan Ali, Pakistan
Hasan Ali (Image Credit: Twitter)

Hasan Ali castled Rassie van der Dussen on the third ball of the day and soon got the big fish of Faf du Plessis. By lunch, the visitors were 219/3 as Markram has reached his ton, and Temba Bavuma looked settled on 44.

The stage was set for a close, but Hasan Ali happened again: he got rid of the centurion Markram and South African skipper, Quinton de Kock in consecutive deliveries banishing any hopes left for a heist for the Protea fans.

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Hasan Ali returned to dismiss George Linde to claim his second fifer of the match after picking one in the first innings and bagged the Man of the Match award. Wicket-keeper batsman, Mohammad Rizwan was been adjudged the Player of the Series.

With the two victories over Quinton de Kock’s side, Pakistan claimed 120 WTC points and now has 286 total points and their points percentage has risen to 43.3. South Africa, on the other hand, saw a drop in their percentage to 30 and end up at the 6th position after the series.

Hasan Ali, Pakistan
Pakistan team with Hasan Ali (Image Credit: Twitter)

Meanwhile, the first of the 4-match Test series between India and England has gone into the fifth day with Virat Kohli’s side requiring another 381 runs having lost Rohit Sharma.

India, England, and Australia are vying the vacant spot for the WTC final to face Kane Williamson’s New Zealand at the Lord’s. The Kiwis qualified for the final after Australia postponed their tour to South Africa.

ICC World Test Championship Points Table After The South Africa-Pakistan Series

ICC World Test Championship Points Table After The South Africa-Pakistan Series
ICC WTC Points Table after Pakistan series win over South Africa. Image-ICC.

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