Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan have climbed to number five in the latest one day international (ODI) Team Rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Defeats in the first two ODIs against England have sent Australia tumbling to a 34-year low in the ICC rankings. They have slipped to sixth place, and will need to win at least one of the three remaining games in the series to climb back above Pakistan to fifth. England, India, South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan sit ahead of them in the latest rankings.

The first ODI of the series saw Australia’s batting fail, while posting a meager total of 214 before English bowlers, scrapes way for a three-wicket win at The Oval. On Saturday, Australia lost the second ODI by 38-runs leaving them 2-0 down in the five-match ODI series against England. It also saw world champions face their sixth defeat in seven ODIs against England this year, a sequence that includes a 4-1 series loss down under in January.

The last two years have seen Australia go from bad to worse in the 50-over format as the then No.1 ranked side first lost an away series against South Africa. A group of young players just couldn’t sustain the pressure that their predecessors had on the opposition. The emergence of India and England as teams with a brand new style of play in the 50-over format also meant that the Aussies lost further ground.

The last time Australia found themselves in sixth position was back in January 1984. Australia’s rankings situation reflects their downturn as an ODI side since beating Pakistan in a home series in January 2017. Thereafter, they have lost 13 of their 15 completed ODIs, in which time they have lost three successive bilateral series – to New Zealand, India and England – and exited the Champions Trophy at the group stage.

Table

Rank Team Points

1 England 124

2 India 122

3 South Africa 113

4 New Zealand 112

5 Pakistan 102

6 Australia 102

7 Bangladesh 93

8 Sri Lanka 77

9 West Indies 69

10 Afghanistan 63

11 Zimbabwe 55

12 Ireland 38

13 Scotland 33

14 UAE 18

Published in Daily Times, June 19^th 2018.