India, Pakistan receive boost in ICC ODI Rankings after recent clean sweeps

Following their 3-0 win over Zimbabwe in the three-match series in Harare, Team India ODI ranking has received a boost, moving to 111 rating points and third place overall.

KL Rahul-led India outplayed Zimbabwe to register a 13-run victory at the Harare Sports Club here and clinched the three-match ODI series 3-0 on Monday.

Batting first, India scored 289/8 in their 50 overs. An opening 63-run stand between KL Rahul (30) and Shikhar Dhawan (40) laid the foundation for a good score. After the departure of Dhawan, India was at 2/84. From that point on, Ishan Kishan and Gill started their assault on the bowlers and stitched a 140-run stand.

After their partnership was broken, Zimbabwe made a comeback, taking the next five wickets within a space of just 65 runs. Brad Evans finished as the leading bowler for Zimbabwe with an excellent 5/54.

Chasing 290, Zimbabwe was at 169/7. Sean Williams played a great 45-run knock, but every other batter struggled. But then, all-rounder Sikander Raza scored a superb 115 runs off 95 balls and put on a 104-run stand with Brad Evans that almost took Zimbabwe across the finishing line. However, Avesh Khan (3/66) and Shardul Thakur (1/55) struck just in time to bundle out the hosts for 276.

Deepak Chahar (2/75), Kuldeep Yadav (2/38) and Axar Patel (2/30) also delivered with the ball for India.

India will get its next chance to improve its ranking in October when it will host South Africa for three one-dayers.

Meanwhile, Pakistan also saw an improvement in their ranking as it moved to 107 rating points and is on the fourth position currently.

This rating boost has come because of their 3-0 clean sweep against the Netherlands away from home. The hosts played extremely well throughout the series and the scoreline does not show the competitiveness in the series. The Netherlands gave Pakistan a scare two times, losing the first match by a narrow margin of 16 runs and losing the final ODI by just nine runs. Pakistan had clinched the second ODI by seven wickets.

Pakistan does not have any immediate opportunities to improve their ranking as they do not have any further 50-over matches until after the T20 World Cup which will be held in October-November in Australia this year.

The leader of the table is New Zealand with 124 points, following Black Caps 2-1 series win against West Indies. England remains in the second position with 119 points. The English side is meanwhile continuing their ICC World Test Championship campaign in a three-Test series against South Africa, which they are trailing by 1-0.

The Black Caps earlier held a healthy nine-run advantage at the top of the rankings, but one loss to West Indies reduced their lead to just five points.

But they still have their chance to build on their lead. A three-match series against trans-Tasman rivals Australia is coming early next month in Cairns.

A series loss against Australia could see New Zealand drop down and lose their lead to England and Australia, currently at number five with 101 points can move to fourth place and dislodge Pakistan from there if they perform brilliantly over the next few weeks.

Australia will host Zimbabwe for three ODI matches in Townsville starting later this month before they take on New Zealand to complete a hectic two-week period with back-to-back series.