If Pakistan fail to sweep the series, it will slide to 85 points. If Zimbabwe win, Pakistan will slide to 83 points. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan, which has already won the two Twenty20 matches, will take on Zimbabwe in the first of the three ODIs in Lahore on May 26.
Currently ranked ninth with 87 points, Pakistan start the series just 42 points above 11th-ranked Zimbabwe- who have 45 points.
If Pakistan fail to sweep the series, it will drop to 85 points. If Zimbabwe win the series 2-1, it will see Pakistan will slide even lower to 83 points.
With only one point separating seventh-ranked West Indies and eighth-ranked Bangladesh from Pakistan, and England plus the seven next highest-ranked sides on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings as on September 30, 2015, to progress to the ICC Champions Trophy 2015.
Hence, Pakistan cannot afford to lose any matches against Zimbabwe.
The West Indies has no series scheduled until the cut-off date for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 to be staged in UK from June 1 to 19.
However, Pakistan still has to play five-ODIs against Sri Lanka in July while Bangladesh has home ODIs against India and South Africa.
Rank Team Points
1 Australia 129
2 India 117
3 New Zealand 116
4 South Africa 112
5 Sri Lanka 106
6 England 94
7 West Indies 88
8 Bangladesh 88
9 Pakistan 87
10 Ireland 50
11 Zimbabwe 45
12 Afghanistan 41
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