Pakistan sixth in new Test rankings

Change in calculation factors push the men in green down from third.

KARACHI: Pakistan have slipped three places to sixth in the new International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings, while South Africa consolidated the top spot following the annual update, with the results from 2011-12 now dropped from the calculations and outcomes from the 2013-14 series weighted at 50%.

The calculations have resulted in South Africa’s previous lead of six points over Australia increasing by a further 16 points, owing to Hashim Amla’s side gaining six points and Australia dropping 10.

The annual update has seen a reshuffle in the middle of the pack and just three points separate third-ranked New Zealand from seventh-ranked Sri Lanka. Prior to the annual update, the gap between the third and seventh ranked sides was seven points.

Fifth-ranked England and sixth-ranked Pakistan have slipped on the ladder after dropping five points apiece. This is due to England’s 4-0 whitewash of India and Pakistan’s 3-0 clean-sweep over England, among other results in 2011-12, being dropped from the rankings calculations.

India have benefitted from the annual update, as heavy defeats against England and Australia in 2011-12 no longer count. Consequently, India gained four points and two places in the latest Test rankings table.

Eighth-ranked West Indies gained five points to reduce the gap with seventh-ranked Sri Lanka from 17 points to 12, while Bangladesh collected six and Zimbabwe dropped 13 as the difference between the two bottom-ranked sides increased to 34.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2015.

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