Pakistan have moved ahead of India in the latest ICC ODI Team Rankings after whitewashing West Indies in the recently-concluded home series. The Babar Azam-led side thrashed the visitors in all the games of the three-match series to walk away with the trophy.
Before the series got underway, the Men in Green were behind India. With a rating of 102 points, they were lying at the fifth spot while India were at the fourth spot with 105 points. But thanks to the series win, they have now leapfrogged India to take the fourth spot with a rating of 106 points.
New Zealand, England and Australia continue to hold the top three spots. New Zealand are at the top spot with 125 points followed by England with 124 points while Australia are at the third spot with 107 points.
Chance for India to improve standing in ICC ODI Team Rankings:
Team India will soon get a chance to improve their position in the ICC ODI Team Rankings points table. The Men in Blue have not played a match since the home series against West Indies in February this year. They will soon play against England and West Indies – three ODIs each. Pakistan, on the other hand, will play their next ODI series in August.
Pakistan’s fine display in ODIs:
Pakistan have done well in the 50-over format in the last couple of years or so. Barring last year’s ODI series in England, they have won all the series in the 50-over format in last two years. While they were whitewashed by England in the three-match series, they beat the likes of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia.
The latest win against West Indies is another proof of their newly found consistency in ODIs. The recent resurgence has come under the captaincy of Babar Azam who has led from the very front. Against West Indies, he scored a century and a fifty. The century in the first game saw him become the first batsman in the history of ODIs to score three consecutive ODI centuries twice.
He had previously achieved the incredible feat in 2016. The fifty in the second game helped him break the world record for most consecutive 50+ scores (9) in men’s international cricket across all formats.
Pakistan will be hoping that they continue to perform in the same manner in the T20Is too as they look to win this year’s T20I World Cup. One of the strong contenders for the trophy, they have not won it since 2009. They came close to winning it last year but lost to eventual winners Australia in the semifinal. This year’s tournament will take place in Australia from October.