ICC ODI team rankings: Australia dethrone Pakistan at the top
Team Australia has dethroned Pakistan at the top of the ICC ODI team rankings. The Aussies went to the pinnacle with a 123-run triumph over South Africa in the second ODI in Bloemfontein on Saturday (September 9). The win powered Australia's rating points to 121. Team Pakistan currently has a rating of 120. Here are further details.
How did the match pan out?
David Warner (106) and Travis Head (64) added 102 runs in 10 overs before the latter perished in the 12th over. Warner and Marnus Labuschagne (124) then added a century-plus stand before Josh Inglis (50) joined the party. Australia posted 392/8 in their 50 overs. For SA, Tabraiz Shamsi went on to take 4/61. In response, Adam Zampa's four-fer helped Australia win.
Australia now at the top
While Australia's rating has been raised to 121, they now have 3,014 points. With a rating of 114, Team India occupies the third position. New Zealand (106) are the only other team with a current rating of 100-plus. Defending ICC Cricket World Cup Champions England are sitting at fifth with 99 rating points. South Africa (97), Bangladesh (92), and Sri Lanka (92) trail them.
Sensational run in ODIs lately
Australia last lost an ODI series against hosts Sri Lanka (3-2) in June last year. The Aussies then defeated hosts Zimbabwe (2-1) and New Zealand (3-0) at home. Australia clean swept arch-rivals England 3-0 at home to end the 2022 season. In 2023, they famously won the away series against India (2-1). Mitchell Marsh's team is currently 2-0 up in the five-match series.
