India dethroned as top T20 side in latest rankings

The Indian cricket team on Wednesday dropped to fourth in the latest ICC ODI team rankings and was also dethroned as the top Twenty20 side following the annual update.

Results from 2012-13 have been dropped, while results from 2014-15 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on the ICC ODI team rankings.

Australia, which won its fifth World Cup title in Melbourne last year, is now sitting on 124 points after dropping two points to lead New Zealand by 11 points.

South Africa has swapped places with India to move into third position, while the West Indies has exchanged places with Pakistan to push the 1992 World Cup winners out of the top eight.

Other sides to gain following the annual update include sixth-ranked England (103, up two), seventh-ranked Bangladesh (98, up one), eighth-ranked West Indies (88, up two), 10th-ranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two).

A significant date on the ICC events calendar is 30 September 2017, which is the rankings cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The host, England, and the seven next highest-ranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for cricket's biggest event, while the bottom four ODI ranked sides will join the top sides from the ICC World Cricket League in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 to fight for the two remaining positions.

Although there will be another ODI team rankings annual update prior to this cut-off date, it is significant that from now on the results of all ODIs that will affect qualification will be weighted at 100 per cent whereas matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 will by then be weighted at only 50 per cent.

All the teams bunched together in the middle of the table will have to win as many matches as possible in the forthcoming season, knowing it will help ensure direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which will be staged from 30 May to 15 July in the United Kingdom.

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalist New Zealand has stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time.

Kane Williamson's side has gained 12 points following the annual update and has consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then New Zealand is ahead of Dhoni's side by +0.21.

ICC World Twenty20 2016 champion West Indies has slipped to third after conceding three points. The West Indies now leads fourth-ranked South Africa by three points, which has broken away from England.