Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 68 runs in the second Test match at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. Sri Lanka won the two-match Test series 2-0 and became the second team to whitewash Pakistan in a home series after Australia, who did it in 2002-03. With this win, Sri Lanka jumped to the sixth spot in the newly published ICC rankings overtaking Pakistan who slipped to seventh in rankings.
13 months ago, Pakistan was the number one ranked team in the ICC Test rankings and lifted the prestigious ICC Test Championship mace and is now placed in the seventh spot in the rankings. Sri Lanka won the series 2-0 which took their points tally from 90 to 94. However, this loss took Pakistan’s points tally from 93 to 88.
Pakistan required 119 runs with five wickets in hand on the final day of the second Test match but lost Sarfraz Ahmed early in the day to ignite a collapse in the lower order. Asad Shafiq’s Century went in vain as he didn’t get any support from the tail Enders.
Pakistan is 13 points clear of the eighth-ranked Windies who have 75 points. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is three points clear of the fifth-ranked Australian team who are in India at the moment.
Sri Lanka’s next Test series is against the number one ranked team India who defeated the Islanders 9-0 at home.
When India and Sri Lanka played in a Test series, India won the series 3-0. Pakistan will next play a Test match in April against Ireland which will be followed by two Test matches against England in England.
South Africa also gained a point in the rankings as they defeated Bangladesh in the two-match Test series. South Africa is placed second in the rankings with 111 points. India leads the standings with 125 points. Bangladesh is placed ninth in the ICC Test Rankings.
Rankings-:
| Pos | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | India | 36 | 4,493 | 125 |
| 2 | South Africa | 34 | 3,767 | 111 |
| 3 | England | 43 | 4,497 | 105 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 32 | 3,114 | 97 |
| 5 | Australia | 34 | 3,294 | 97 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 39 | 3,658 | 94 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 34 | 2,988 | 88 |
| 8 | West Indies | 30 | 2,260 | 75 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 23 | 1,651 | 72 |
| 10 | Zimbabwe | 10 | 0 | 0 |