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Yasir Shah is the first Pakistan bowler to achieve the feat since Mushtaq Ahmed in December 1996.
Leads India's Ravichandran Ashwin by seven points.
Spinner Yasir Shah scaled the number spot in the International Cricket Council's Test rankings, becoming the first Pakistan bowler to achieve the feat since Mushtaq Ahmed in December 1996.
He took the top spot after bowling Pakistan to a 75-run victory over England in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday.
Yasir, who returned with figures of six for 72 and four for 69, leapfrogged India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England's fast bowling pair of James Anderson (who missed the Test due to an injury) and Stuart Broad to the top after his achievement earned him 32 points.
Yasir won the player of the match award in his first Test outside Asia and now leads Ashwin by seven points and Anderson by 10 points.
The 30-year-old looks strong to gain further points and create more daylight between him and rest of the field as he is still in the qualification period.
A bowler qualifies for a full rating after taking 100 wickets; Yasir has so far claimed 86 wickets in 13 Tests.
Pakistan's Rahat Ali, who took four wickets in the match, also achieved a career-high ranking of 32nd after rising three places, while Mohammad Amir returned to the rankings and is just inside the top 100 in 93rd position.
There was more good news for Pakistan as its middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq also achieved a career-high ranking among batsmen.
Asad scored 73 and 49 for which he was rewarded with a jump of two places that placed him 11th.
He now has a top 10 place firmly within his sights as he trails 10th ranked Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews by seven points.
Pakistan captain Mishab-ul-Haq, who registered his 10th Test century while scoring 114 in the first innings, moved up a place to ninth, while wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed gained two places and is now in 17th position.
For England, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance improved their rankings.
Bairstow is on a career-high 16th after moving up two places, while Ballance is ranked No. 40, having risen two places.