What do a team get after achieving number one spot in ICC ranking?

In past few days, there have been a lot of shuffle and reshuffle in the ICC rankings, especially for that number 1 spot. In the month of July when Australia landed on Sri Lanka soil to play three matches Test series they were on the number 1 spot but as the days passed, they dropped down to number two and ended being on number 3. The irony is that the Aussie team was awarded the ICC mace just before the start of the series by the virtue of being on the number spot on cut off date but they had no idea that their fortunes were about to take a U-turn soon.

Australian team just didn’t lose the series but also lost their legacy as in past 17 years they had lost only one Test to Sri Lanka and this time, they were whitewashed by Lankans by a margin of 3-0. It was pretty shocking for Aussies.

When Australia was playing in Sri Lanka, there were four other teams who were playing against each other and three of them had a chance to climb to the number spot. India who was playing against West Indies had a chance to climb to the top spot whereas England and Pakistan who were playing against each other had a chance to climb to the top spot. In the end, it was Pakistan who eventually won the race to the number spot as the fourth Test between India and West Indies ended in a draw, Indian team needed to win that match at any cost.

Well, the fans must be very curious to know that what the team gets after topping the ICC ranking table, today we reveal that what teams get.

The team topping the ICC table on the cut off date get a cash prize of US $1 million which is twice of the amount the champion team used to get until last year. Along with that the team also get the ICC Test championship mace. The cutoff date is April 1 i.e. the team who will be on the number one spot as on April 1 will get all the prizes and mace.

Till last year the cash prize was US $50000 but ICC decided to double up the amount which means that Aussies got a cash prize of US $1 million.
This year Indian team is scheduled to play 13 home Test matches and they have a strong cane to climb to number spot till next year. All the rewards and awards will be given to Indian team if we are on the top spot as on April 1, 2017.