Australia retains top ODI position following annual update

Lahore: ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on theMRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings following the annual update. Results from 2012-13 have been dropped, while results from 2014-15 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent.

 

Australia, which won its fifth World Cup title in Melbourne last year, is now sitting on 124 points after dropping two points to lead New Zealand by 11 points.

 

South Africa has swapped places with India to move into third position, while the West Indies has exchanged places with Pakistan to push the 1992 World Cup winners out of the top eight.

 

Other sides to gain following the annual update include sixth-ranked England (103, up two), seventh-ranked Bangladesh (98, up one), eighth-ranked West Indies (88, up two), 10^th-ranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11^th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two).

 

A significant date on the ICC events calendar is 30 September 2017, which is the rankings cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The host, England, and the seven next highest-ranked sides on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for cricket’s biggest event, while the bottom four ODI ranked sides will join the top sides from the ICC World Cricket League in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 to fight for the two remaining positions.

 

Although there will be another ODI team rankings annual update prior to this cut-off date, it is significant that from now on the results of all ODIs that will affect qualification will be weighted at 100 per cent whereas matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 will by then be weighted at only 50 per cent.

 

All the teams bunched together in the middle of the table will have to win as many matches as possible in the forthcoming season, knowing it will help ensure direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which will be staged from 30 May to 15 July in the United Kingdom.

 

The latest Future Tours Programme lists the following ODI series until September 2016:

 

Sri Lanka (104)                     vs Ireland (away, two ODIs, June)

                  vs England (away, five ODIs, June)

 

Bangladesh (98)                     No ODIs scheduled

 

West Indies (88)                     Tri-series vs Australia and South Africa (home, June)

 

Pakistan (87)                          vs Ireland (away, two ODIs, August)

                  vs England (away, five ODIs, August)

 

Zimbabwe (47)                       vs India (home, three ODIs June)

 

 

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalist New Zealand has stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time.

 

Kane Williamson’s side has gained 12 points following the annual update and has consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then New Zealand is ahead of Dhoni’s side by +0.21.

 

ICC World Twenty20 2016 champion West Indies has slipped to third after conceding three points. The main reason for the West Indies’ slip is that its results from the 2012-13 season, which includes victory in the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, have now been dropped.

The West Indies now leads fourth-ranked South Africa by three points, which has broken away from England.

 

To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the ODI rankings table, please click here. The ODI and T20I rankings tables, unlike the Test rankings table, are updated after each match.

 

MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings (following annual update)

 

Rank* Team              Points*

1(-)      Australia          124(-2)

2(-)      New Zealand  113(-1)

3(+1)   South Africa   112(-)

4(-1)    India                109(-4)

5(-)      Sri Lanka         104(-)

6(-)      England           103(+2)

7(-)      Bangladesh     98(+1)

8(+1)   West Indies     88(+2)

9(-1)    Pakistan           87(-)

10(-)    Afghanistan    51(+4)

11(+1) Zimbabwe       47(+2)

12(-1)  Ireland             42(-4)             

 

MRF Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings (following annual update)

 

Rank* Team              Points*

1(+2)   New Zealand  132(+12)

2(-1)    India                132(+6)

3(-1)    West Indies     122(-3)

4(+1)   South Africa   119(+4)

5(-1)    England           114(-1)

6(-)      Australia          110(-2)

7(-)      Pakistan           104(-3)

8(-)      Sri Lanka         98(-7)

9(-)      Afghanistan    78(-3)

10(-)    Bangladesh     74(-)

11(+1) Netherlands     67(+8)

12(+1) Zimbabwe       58(+1)

13(-2)  Scotland          57(-2)

14(+1) UAE                54(+11)

15(+1) Ireland             48(+9)

16(+1) Oman              37(-)

17(-3)  Hong Kong     29(-15)