Sri Lankan cricket team rises in ODI rankings

 

Sri Lankan cricket team rises in ODI rankings

Sri Lanka, who had a rampant run at home in recent months, including One Day International series wins against India and Australia have moved to fourth place after gaining five rating points in the yearly rankings update by the International Cricket Council.

The Lankans after gaining five rating points have managed to leapfrog Pakistan and South Africa in the ODI rankings.

The latest rankings rate all matches played since May 2024 at 100 percent and those of the previous two years at 50 percent.

In the ODI rankings, India have strengthened their grip at the top on the back of a victorious ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, improving their rating points from 122 to 124.

Coming in second place are the runners-up at the Champions Trophy, New Zealand, overtaking their Trans-Tasman rivals Australia, who now occupy third spot.

The Lankans are in fourth place with Pakistan and South Africa on fifth and sixth on the ODI rankings table.

Afghanistan have climbed the ladder – moving to seventh following a four-point improvement – at the expense of former world champions England, who fell to eighth after dropping four points. West Indies, meanwhile, rose to the ninth spot after gaining five points to surpass Bangladesh, who dropped to tenth with a four-point decline.

In T20Is, the current ICC Men's T20 World Cup champions India are placed at the top, although their lead over the second-placed Australia has reduced from 10 to nine points.

For the first time ever, the annual update features 100 teams in the global T20I rankings, with the updated list including all sides that have played a minimum of eight T20Is over the past three years.

The original global T20I rankings were launched in 2019 and included 80 sides.

The 2022 edition champions England, sit at number three, with New Zealand, West Indies and South Africa at four, five, and six respectively.

Sri Lanka's surge continues in the shortest format of the game as well, now seventh in the rankings after overtaking Asian rivals Pakistan (8). Bangladesh and Afghanistan follow their fellow Asian teams at ninth and tenth places, respectively.

Reigning World Test Championship holders Australia have retained their top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, though their lead was trimmed from 15 to 13 points after the annual update. Pat Cummins' side boasts a rating of 126, staying well in front of the chasing pack.

Ben Stokes-led England made a big jump, moving up into the second place, overtaking both South Africa and India. Their improved position comes on the back of winning three out of their four Test series in the past year. England’s rating points climbed to 113, while South Africa (111) and India (105) each slipped one place to third and fourth, respectively.

The rest of the top 10 remains unchanged, with New Zealand holding fifth place, followed by Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Only 10 teams are currently ranked in the Test table. Ireland need to play one more Test in the next 12 months to qualify for a ranking, while Afghanistan must play three more matches to join the list.

                                                                                                                        By K. M. N. I. Lakshani