Pakistan need 3-0 result to maintain rating points

KARACHI: Pakistan will have to win all the matches of the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe, starting in Lahore from Tuesday (today), to ensure that they do not drop points on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings.
Ninth-ranked Pakistan will start the series with a difference of 42 points relative to 11th-ranked Zimbabwe.
Pakistan will stay on 87 points if they win 3-0, but will drop to 85 points if they win the series 2-1. Zimbabwe’s 2-1 series win will mean Pakistan will slide to 83 points.
After this series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan have a five-ODI series against Sri Lanka in July, while Bangladesh have home ODIs against India and South Africa. The West Indies have no series scheduled until the cut-off date of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 to be staged in UK from 1 to 19 June.
Meanwhile, players from both the sides will be aiming to improve their rankings on the Reliance ICC ODI Player Rankings.
In the batting table, no batsman from either side features inside the top 30.
Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez, in 33rd and 38th positions, respectively, will start off as the highest-ranked batsmen.
Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams (50th), captain Hamilton Mazakadza (60th) and Elton Chigumbura (65th) are their side’s highest-ranked batsmen.
In the bowlers’ chart, Pakistan have Hafeez (19th) inside the top 20, who is also the highest-ranked all-rounder (in fifth place) from either side.