A 3-0 whitewash will help them overtake eighth-placed West Indies
KARACHI: After achieving the No.1 ranking in Tests for the first time, Pakistan have now set their sights on improving their position in the One-day International rankings.
Trailing at a dismal ninth place, Pakistan have to improve their ranking within the next 12 months in order to directly qualify for World Cup 2019 to be held in England.
The former world champions can take a baby step towards the challenging goal by whitewashing the West Indies in a three-match ODI series which gets underway in Abu Dhabi on September 30.
The Pakistani can overtake eighth-ranked West Indies only with a 3-0 triumph in the series. In that scenario, Pakistan will jump from 86 points to 89 points, while the West Indies will slide from 94 points to 88 points.
Meanwhile, fourth-ranked South Africa have a chance to climb up to second position in the ICC ODI Team Rankings when they host number-one ranked world champions Australia in a five-match series from September 30 to October 12.
A busy limited-overs cricket period, which starts on September 25 with the Bangladesh versus Afghanistan ODI in Mirpur and the one-off South Africa versus Ireland ODI in Benoni and culminates with the third ODI between Bangladesh and England in Mirpur and fifth ODI between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on October 12, will see 16 matches being played between eight teams on the ICC ODI rankings with a year to go before the determination of which seven highest-ranked sides along with England will qualify automatically for the ICC World Cup 2019.
While Australia and South Africa will aim to consolidate their current positions, Bangladesh, the West Indies and Pakistan will target to improve their rankings.
The string of matches start on Sunday with the first of three ODIs between Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Mirpur and a one-off ODI between South Africa and Ireland in Benoni. Ireland also get a match against Australia in Benoni on September 27, while Bangladesh will host England for three ODIs from October 7 to 12.
World champions Australia are currently on 124 points and without an immediate threat to their top ranking with New Zealand second on 113 points.
But a series win for South Africa, who are fraction of a point behind India, against Australia could help them move ahead of the reigning ICC Champions Trophy winners. A 3-2 series win will put South Africa in third position on 112 points, while a 4-1 series win will lift them to second position on 114 points.
For Australia, a 3-2 series win will maintain their current 124 points with a maximum drop to 118 points in the case of a 5-0 series whitewash.
In the individual rankings, South Africa players will be in focus since they have four each in the top 10 in the list of batsmen and bowlers.
Captain AB de Villiers is top-ranked in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen, Hashim Amla is third-ranked while Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis are in ninth and 10th places, respectively.
In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers led by West Indies’ Sunil Narine, leg-spinner Imran Tahir is South Africa’s leading player at fifth position with the pace duo of Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada at joint-seventh place. Morne Morkel completes the team’s dominance in individual rankings at ninth slot.
Australia do not have a single batsman in the top 10 but a group of batsmen just a little below with David Warner the best at 13th rank. Aaron Finch (15th), George Bailey (17th) and Steve Smith (18th) are all in the top 20. Pace bowler Mitchell Starc is the only Australian in the top 10 among bowlers, at third position.
Other batsmen looking to better their rankings in upcoming matches will include Joe Root (4th) of England, Mushfiqur Rahim (19th) of Bangladesh, Mohammad Hafeez (23rd) of Pakistan and Ed Joyce (28th) of Ireland.
In the bowlers’ list, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (4th), Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Irfan (11th) and the Afghanistan pair of Mirwais Ashraf (21st) and Mohammad Nabi (22nd) will be among those eyeing chances to improve their rankings.