Pakistan can improve ODI ranking in series against Australia

Pakistan can improve ODI ranking in series against Australia

LAHORE: Pakistan can improve their ranking on the ICC One-day International table when they face Australia in a five-match series, which began in Brisbane on Friday.

While Australia lead second-ranked India by nine ratings points, Pakistan are at seventh position with 108 ratings points and four behind fourth-placed New Zealand. If Pakistan win the series by 3-2 or better, they will go up to fourth but would stay in seventh position in case of their failure to win a single match in the series while dropping four ratings points behind sixth-placed Sri Lanka.

In case of a 3-2 series win, Pakistan will earn four ratings points which will put them along side New Zealand on 112 ratings points but ahead of Daniel Vettori’s side by a fraction of the point.

A 4-1 series win will put Pakistan on 115 ratings points whereas a clean sweep will take them to 118 ratings points, one behind third-placed South Africa.

Even if Australia win the series 3-2, Pakistan will improve their rating by two places as they will leapfrog England and Sri Lanka into fifth place on 110 ratings points.

In contrast, Australia will retain their number-one position even if they lose all the matches of the series though they will drop to 123 ratings points but will earn three ratings points if they finish unbeaten in the series.

The odds are in favour of Australia as they have won 14 out of the last 20 ODIs against Pakistan who have won only five. On a head-to-head in Australia, Ricky Ponting’s side enjoy a 27-16 advantage with a tied game and one no-result while overall Australia have won 47 out of the 80 ODIs with Pakistan winning 29, one ending in a tie and three no-results.

In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen, Pakistan Mohammad Yousuf is the only batsman in the top 20 on 15th position which he shares with South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs.

Outside the top 20 and eyeing an upward movement like their captain are Shoaib Malik (24th), Salman Butt (26th), Younus Khan (33rd), Misbah-ul-Haq (38th), Kamran Akmal (44th), Umar Akmal (56th) and Shahid Afridi (59th).

In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, Shahid is the highest-ranked bowler from either side on 12th position. The other Pakistan bowler in the top 20 is off-spinner Saeed Ajmal on 17th spot. Shahid has a good opportunity not only to regain return to the top 10 but also improve his previous best ranking of eighth as he trails sixth-placed Harbhajan Singh of India by 19 points.

Other bowlers outside the top 20 and aiming to improve their rankings are James Hopes (26th), Umar Gul (27th), Shane Watson (30th), Mohammad Asif (44th) and Rana Navedul Hasan (56th).

Lets hope so something like that, as I personally think there won't be a chance like that, k Pakistan wins the series comprehensively.