The Team India lead by Virat Kohli and free flowing England lead by Eoin Morgan have retained their top spots in Test and ODI’s respectively in the latest ICC cricket rankings.
ICC on May 2, Thursday updated the Test and ODI rankings as part of annual update in which series results from 2015-16 are removed, and outcomes from 2016-17 and 2017-18 are weighted at 50 per cent.
Test rankings: India were on 116 points and New Zealand on 108 before the update but India’s 3-0 win over South Africa and 2-1 win in Sri Lanka being purged as part of the 2015-16 season sees them losing three points while New Zealand’s two 2-0 defeats to Australia being removed sees them gain three points.
ODI rankings: England have retained the No. 1 ranking but to go into the World Cup as the top-ranked side, they will need to beat Ireland in an upcoming one-off ODI and then beat Pakistan 3-2 or better in a home series, or lose to Ireland but then beat Pakistan 4-1 or better.
Three of the four teams awarded ODI status at the end of the World Cricket League Division 2 will join the rankings once they have played the requisite eight qualifying matches. However, PNG join the rankings immediately having played several ODIs prior to April 2018. The Netherlands, who already had ODI status, will need to play two more ODIs to achieve a ranking.