India drop a place each in ODI and T20I cricket rankings

Dubai, May 4

India have dropped a place both in the One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) rankings to be fourth and second respectively, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.

South Africa have overtaken India, who lost the ODI series in Australia in January, to move into third position as the results from 2012-13 have been dropped, while results from 2014-15 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent. India now have 109 points, while South Africa have 112 points.

World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on the ODI rankings. Australia, who won their fifth World Cup title in Melbourne last year, are now sitting on 124 points after dropping two points to lead New Zealand by 11 points.

The West Indies have exchanged places with Pakistan to push the 1992 World Cup winners out of the top eight, to the ninth spot.

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), 10th-ranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two).

Meanwhile in the T20I rankings, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalists New Zealand have stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time. They have consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then New Zealand are ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side by +0.21.

Kane Williamson's side has gained 12 points following the annual update, while reigning champions West Indies have slipped to the third spot after conceding three points. The main reason for the West Indies' slip is that their 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 lead fourth-ranked South Africa by three points, which has broken away from England.

ICC also declared that September 30, 2017 will be the cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The hosts, England, and the seven next highest-ranked sides on the ODI rankings on September 30, 2017 will qualify directly for cricket's biggest event.

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. — IANS