Aiming for an upset: Perfect chance for visitors to overhaul rankings table
New Zealand have a chance to improve their rankings to fifth
KARACHI:
A 1-0 series win for seventh-placed New Zealand will see it leapfrog India into sixth, with Pakistan dropping to fifth position, and a 2-0 win will even push the visitors into fifth, ahead of their hosts who will go into sixth.
“We are aware that we are a team who needs to keep performing day in, day out because we are well down the ladder in the rankings and we are not happy with that,” said New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum. “We want to keep improving and we work incredibly hard and this is a great opportunity to do so.”
However, McCullum knows it will not be easy as their opponents enter the series as firm favourites. “I think obviously Pakistan were excellent against Australia and thoroughly deserved their win,” said McCullum of Pakistan’s 2-0 over Australia.
Meanwhile, Pakistan can strengthen their grip on third place in the ICC Test Teams Ranking with a series win against New Zealand and close in on second-placed Australia.
A 3-0 series win over New Zealand will earn Pakistan five rating points, thus reducing Australia’s lead to seven. A 2-0 win for the hosts will see them reduce the deficit to nine, while a 1-0 victory will see Pakistan gain a solitary point.
A drawn series will result in Pakistan losing their spot at third to England, while New Zealand will gain one point.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2014.
A 1-0 series win for seventh-placed New Zealand will see it leapfrog India into sixth, with Pakistan dropping to fifth position, and a 2-0 win will even push the visitors into fifth, ahead of their hosts who will go into sixth.
“We are aware that we are a team who needs to keep performing day in, day out because we are well down the ladder in the rankings and we are not happy with that,” said New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum. “We want to keep improving and we work incredibly hard and this is a great opportunity to do so.”
However, McCullum knows it will not be easy as their opponents enter the series as firm favourites. “I think obviously Pakistan were excellent against Australia and thoroughly deserved their win,” said McCullum of Pakistan’s 2-0 over Australia.
Meanwhile, Pakistan can strengthen their grip on third place in the ICC Test Teams Ranking with a series win against New Zealand and close in on second-placed Australia.
A 3-0 series win over New Zealand will earn Pakistan five rating points, thus reducing Australia’s lead to seven. A 2-0 win for the hosts will see them reduce the deficit to nine, while a 1-0 victory will see Pakistan gain a solitary point.
A drawn series will result in Pakistan losing their spot at third to England, while New Zealand will gain one point.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2014.