New Delhi: India goes into its five-match series in Sri Lanka with the chance to leap from its current fourth place standing to its previous number one ranking in the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings. India last held the number one position briefly in September 2009 but if it achieves a clean sweep against its hosts, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side will unseat current table-toppers Australia.
The series, which starts in Hambantota on Saturday (21 July), brings together the finalists in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, held in Mumbai in April last year. India won that match by six wickets to lift the trophy for the first time in 28 years.
After years of domination by Australia, the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings table is now extremely tight after Michael Clarke’s team suffered a 4-0 defeat in England recently. Only two rating points separate the top four teams with South Africa and England sandwiched between Australia and fourth placed India.
The Sri Lanka v India series again utilizes the three grounds which are a legacy of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The first two ODIs are in Hambantota, followed by two at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with the final match in Pallekele on 4 August.
At the conclusion of the series, the ICC will publish the annual update of the table which will discard the results of ODIs played prior to August 2010.
Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings (as of 19 July 2012, ahead of Sri Lanka v India series)
Rank Team Rating
1 Australia 119
2 South Africa 118
3 England 118
4 India 117
5 Sri Lanka 112
6 Pakistan 103
7 West Indies 87
8 New Zealand 83
9 Bangladesh 67
10 Zimbabwe 46
11 Ireland 36
12 Netherlands 15
13 Kenya 8
