Cape Town - ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on the 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 percent.
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.
South Africa have swapped places with India to move into third position, while the West Indies have 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), 10th-ranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two).
A significant date on the ICC events calendar is September 30, 2017, which is the rankings cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The hosts, England, and the seven next highest-ranked sides on the ICC ODI team rankings on September 30, 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 percent whereas matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 will by then be weighted at only 50 percent.
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 May 30 to July 15 in the United Kingdom.
PROTEAS UP TO NO 4 IN T20Is
In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalists New Zealand have stormed up the chart to claim No 1 position for the first time.
Kane Williamson’s side have gained 12 points following the annual update and have consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then the Kiwis are ahead of MS Dhoni’s side by +0.21.
ICC World Twenty20 2016 champions, the West Indies, have slipped to third 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, who have broken away from England into fourth spot.
ICC ODI team rankings (following annual update):
Under rank, team, points
1. Australia 124
2. New Zealand 113
3. South Africa 112
4. India 109
5. Sri Lanka 104
6. England 103
7. Bangladesh 98
8. West Indies 88
9. Pakistan 87
10. Afghanistan 51
11. Zimbabwe 47
12. Ireland 42
ICC T20I team rankings (following annual update):
Under rank, team, points
1. New Zealand 132
2. India 132
3. West Indies 122
4. South Africa 119
5. England 114
6. Australia 110
7. Pakistan 104
8. Sri Lanka 98
9. Afghanistan 78
10. Bangladesh 74
11. Netherlands 67
12. Zimbabwe 58
13. Scotland 57
14. UAE 54
15. Ireland 48
16. Oman 37
17. Hong Kong 29