Sport

ICC rankings: India gains points

Dubai: The triumph on Tuesday has helped India gain three rating points to move just a fraction behind third-placed New Zealand even as Australia’s lead on top of the ICC ODI Championship table was trimmed to a bare minimum.

Australia, which entered the series on 130 ratings points, dropped to 127 points, the same as second-placed South Africa but above Graeme Smith’s side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

India, in contrast, gained three rating points from the tri-series which it won 2-0. India now sits alongside New Zealand on 113 points but behind Daniel Vettori’s side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, which was the third team in the tri-series, dropped one rating point to return home on 107 after failing to qualify for the final. The scenario has left South Africa’s fate in its own hands as it goes head-to-head with Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series from March 9.

If South Africa sweeps the series, it will reclaim the top spot it surrendered to Ricky Ponting’s side during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies.

However, if Bangladesh manages to win just a game, Australia will open a two-point gap with South Africa which will drop to 125 rating points.

With the last game of the series between South Africa and Bangladesh set to be played on March 15, Australia has been confirmed as the top seed for this September’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan as the cut-off date for seedings is March 12, six months before the scheduled start of the tournament. — PTI

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