New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Australia have solidified their top spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20I Team Rankings by widening their lead over England from 18 to 20 points following the recent update done on Friday.
No changes have occurred within the top eight standings. But Thailand improved its position to eleventh, overtaking both Scotland and Papua New Guinea. ICC also said the women’s annual updates move from the start of October to the start of May, bringing it on par with the men’s team annual rankings update.
Prior to the update, weightings were 50 percent for matches between October 2021 and September 2023 and 100 percent thereafter. Post update, the weightings are 50 percent for matches between May 2022 and April 2024 and 100 percent thereafter.
Six-time champions Australia failed to make it to the final of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup played in Dubai. But their two 3-0 series sweeps over New Zealand, both home and away, as well as a 3-0 victory over England have helped them gain two points and reach 299 rating points.
India retains their third position with an unchanged 260 points while 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup winners New Zealand (253) and runners-up South Africa (243) have gained two and one points, respectively, to retain their fourth and fifth positions.
The West Indies (240) have lost two points, while Sri Lanka (228) have lost one point and Pakistan (220) have gained one point, as the three teams retained their positions from sixth to eighth. Ireland, meanwhile, has moved ahead of Bangladesh to ninth with 194 points.
Thailand’s victories in a Quadrangular Series in Hong Kong that also featured China and Namibia, as well as in a tri-series in Nepal that also featured the Netherlands, have helped them gain a crucial point and progress two slots.
ICC also said Sierra Leone and Kuwait are the biggest gainers post the annual update to the rankings. Both teams have gained seven rating points and three places to reach 34th and 46th positions, respectively.
Four teams – Mexico, Czechia, Oman, and Ghana – dropped out of the rankings due to them not playing the requisite eight T20Is since May 2022, which are needed to remain in the rankings. ICC added the annual update to the ODI rankings will be carried out following the conclusion of the ongoing 50-over tri-series in Colombo, featuring Sri Lanka, India, and South Africa.
Meanwhile, ICC also stated that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has replaced the United States of America (USA) in the list of 16 teams with ODI status for the 2025-29 cycle that will be effective from May 12. Thailand, Scotland, PNG, and the Netherlands are retaining their ODI status while the UAE will be joining them based on T20I performances.
Thailand and Scotland retained ODI status due to their qualification for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, while PNG and the Netherlands retained it because of their T20I rankings.
The UAE gained ODI status by virtue of being the next highest-ranked associate member team at the time of the annual update to the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings. Teams with ODI status need to play a minimum of eight ODIs over a three-to-four-year period to gain or maintain their ODI rankings.
–IANS
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