England takes on Pakistan in the upcoming four-Test home series knowing that it is within striking distance of overtaking the opposition in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings.

England, which recently prevailed 2-0 over Sri Lanka in a three-Test home series, is only three points behind Pakistan’s 111 points. This means that margins of 2-1 or 1-0 win will be enough for it to go past Pakistan in the points table, currently led by Australia at 118 points. Either of these results will see England lift to 110 points and Pakistan slip down to 107.

If England prevails 2-0 or 3-1, it will tie with second-placed India at 112 points, which is due to take on the West Indies in a four-Test series that ends a week after the England-Pakistan series. In case England is able to capitalise on the home advantage even better, it can rise to second position to 113 points with a 3-0 win and to 114 if it blanks Pakistan 4-0.

The small difference in points between India, Pakistan and England throws up a number of interesting scenarios.

A win for Pakistan in the series, by a 2-1 or 3-1 margin, will help it leapfrog India into second place, a position it has reached only once since the officials rankings were launched in 2003. That was in November last year when it beat England 2-0 in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan even has a chance to surge to the top of the rankings, but to make this happen it will have to win 3-0 or better. Pakistan’s best performance in England has been a 2-0 win in a three-Test series in 1996.

Some of the permutations are:

· If England wins 2-1 = England 110 and Pakistan 107

· If England wins 3-1 – England 112 and Pakistan 105

· If England wins 3-0 – England 113 and Pakistan 103

· If England wins 4-0 – England 114 and Pakistan 101

· If Pakistan wins 2-1 – Pakistan 115 and England 106

· If Pakistan wins 3-1 – Pakistan 117 and England 104

· If Pakistan wins 3-0 – Pakistan 119 and England 103

· If Pakistan wins 4-0 – Pakistan 121 and England 102

Source: ICC