Pak-West Indies fail to capitalize on Chances for WC Direct qualification
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LAHORE (APP): Pakistan and The West Indies have failed to make the most of the opportunity to strengthen their positions for direct qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 as their One Day International series ended 2-1 in Pakistan's favour in Guyana on Tuesday.
According to information made available here on Wednesday by the International Cricket Council the West Indies won the first match with its highest ever chase of 309 but failed to maintain the momentum which could have taken it to 87 points with a 3-0 win, ahead of its rival by a fraction. Pakistan could similarly have moved up to 92 points, edging ahead of seventh-placed Bangladesh by a fraction had it won all three matches.
In the end, there was not too much movement as Pakistan gained one point to reach 90 points on the ICC ODI Team Rankings to remain in eighth position while the West Indies lost one point to also remain on its pre-series ninth position with 83 points.
England and the seven other top teams on September 30, 2017 will qualify directly for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 with the remaining four teams getting a second chance through a 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifying tournament in 2018.
This was the final series before the annual update is carried out on 1 May to ensure the table continues to reflect teams’ recent form with older results being discarded. This means that when the ODI team rankings are overhauled on May 1, the table will reflect all matches from May 1, 2014 with matches played from May 1, 2016 to carry 100 per cent weighting.
The ODI team rankings, unlike the Test rankings, are updated after each match.
Meanwhile, in the ICC Player Rankings Pakistan's middle-order batsman Babar Azam has reached a career-best eighth ranking as his scores of 13, 125 not out and 16 have helped him gain one position. Mohammad Hafeez’s scores of 88, 32 and 81 have lifted him back into the top 20 as he has moved up six slots from 14th position while left-hander Imad Wasim has gained eight positions to reach a career-best 89th ranking.
For the West Indies, Jason Mohammed's match-winning 91 not out off 58 balls and the subsequent knocks of one and 59 have helped him gain 86 positions to a career-best 93rd place while his team-mate Shai Hope has moved up 33 positions to a career-best 98th rank.
Hafeez has gained 10 slots to reach 27th position among bowlers with three wickets in the series, also moving ahead of Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi to second position in the table for all-rounders. Pace bowler Hasan Ali, who took six wickets in the series including a haul of five for 38 in the second ODI, has gained 14 places to move up to 34th position while Mohammad Amir (up 12 places to 38th) and Imad (up seven places to 39th) have attained career-best rankings.
For the West Indies, Ashley Nurse (up 26 places to 62nd rank) and Shannon Gabriel (up 29 places to 73rd rank) have reached career-best rankings.
ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on April 12, after West Indies-Pakistan series)
To be read as rank, team and points,
1. South Africa 119,
2. Australia 118,
3. New Zealand 113,
4. India 112,
5. England 108,
6. Sri Lanka 98,
7. Bangladesh 92,
8. Pakistan 90 (+1),
9. West Indies 83 (-1),
10. Afghanistan 52,
11. Zimbabwe 48,
12. Ireland 42.
