JOIN USWith limited overs cricket season set to start, all eight leading one-day sides are eyeing the ICC ODI Championship Table as the battle for the coveted number-one position remains tight with world champions India in third position, just one rating point behind South Africa.
Currently, only 17 ratings points separate the top six sides, with England and South Africa on equal points at 121. However, Alastair Cook’s side is rated above South Africa by a fraction of a point, while India with 120 points are behind the Proteas by only a rating point.
Four-time world champions Australia (113) trail India by seven points. Sri Lanka are placed at fifth spot with 108 rating points.
The 1992 world champions Pakistan are further down at number six, four ratings points behind the Lankans, and New Zealand are on 74 ratings points. But with six top ranked ODI sides, along with the West Indies and New Zealand, gearing up to play a number of ODIs, mostly in the new year, the ranking table could witness a lot of changes before the April 1 cut-off date.
The team, which would finish as number one on April 1 cut-off date, will collect a cheque of $175,000 along with a Shield, while the team that would finish second will get $75,000. Sri Lanka will have to win the series against New Zealand starting on November 1 at Pallekele to stay ahead of Pakistan in fifth place.