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Zim ranked 10th in new T20 rankings

Sport
Zimbabwe is ranked 10th in the new International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 International (T20I) team rankings launched at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Monday. Reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions England were unveiled as the number-one ranked side in the shortest format of the game as the team rankings were launched. England, who are also […]

Zimbabwe is ranked 10th in the new International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 International (T20I) team rankings launched at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Monday.

Reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions England were unveiled as the number-one ranked side in the shortest format of the game as the team rankings were launched.

England, who are also the top- ranked Test side, have a rating of 127 points and lead second-placed Sri Lanka by just one rating point.

Only six ratings points separate the next four sides with New Zealand occupying third position on 117, followed by South Africa, ICC World Twenty20 2007 winners India and Australia.

ICC World Twenty20 2009 champions Pakistan are at seventh position, 14 ratings points behind Australia, with West Indies, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe following.

Teams that have played eight or more T20Is since August 2009 have been included on the table. Bangladesh, along with associate members Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands and Scotland, who have T20I status, will all join the table as soon as they have played sufficient matches to qualify for a ranking. Since August 2009, England have played 20 T20Is, winning 12, losing six and with two ending in no-results.

Their victories include four against Pakistan, two each against South Africa and Australia, and one each against Sri Lanka, West Indies, New Zealand and India.

In contrast, Pakistan have played the highest number of matches (24) during the same period, but at the same time they have lost more than 50% of their matches which explains their current seventh position. One of the main objectives of introducing the T20I team rankings is to give context to bilateral matches.

ICC general manager cricket David Richardson, speaking at the launch ceremony, said: “The ICC is delighted to announce the team and player rankings for Twenty20 international cricket.

The launch of T20I rankings will generate even more interest in the shortest format and will help to give more context to bilateral T20Is.

“Despite the fact that not as many T20Is have been played as Tests or ODIs, the ICC believes these rankings add context to nation-versus-nation contests in the shortest of cricket’s three vibrant international formats.”