Australia maintain a huge lead at the top of the table after the annual update to the ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings which were carried out on Wednesday.
Australia’s lead over England has reduced by four points but they are still comfortably ahead after the update, which removes matches played between Oct 2021 and April 2022, including the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 in New Zealand.
The women’s updates have this year moved from the start of October to the start of May, like the men’s team annual rankings update. Prior to the update, weightings were 50 per cent for matches between October 2021 and September 2023 and 100 per cent thereafter. Post update, the weightings are 50 per cent for matches between May 2022 and April 2024 and 100 per cent thereafter.
The series with 100 per cent weightage for Australia included two 3-0 series wins over India, both home and away, as well as 3-0 wins in Bangladesh and at home versus England. They also beat the West Indies and New Zealand 2-0 in other three-match series and South Africa 2-1 at home.
Australia are on 167 points and England on 127 with India remaining third but bridging the gap with England from 11 to six points.
The 100 per cent weightage period for England has seen them beat New Zealand 3-0 at home and 2-1 away, get the better of both Pakistan and Sri Lanka 2-0 at home and edging Ireland and South Africa 2-1 in away series.
India, who recently won a tri-series in Sri Lanka also featuring South Africa, blanked Ireland, the West Indies and South Africa 3-0, and New Zealand 2-1 at home during the same period.
South Africa and the West Indies had made the knockouts of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 but those results no longer count in the calculations and have contributed to a fall in their rating points.
South Africa have dropped nine rating points but remain fifth in the unchanged top six in the table. The West Indies have dropped 10 rating points and slipped behind Bangladesh and Pakistan to ninth position.
In all, 15 teams are now ranked in ODIs, with the United States of America (USA) dropping off the table after losing their ODI status. They are replaced by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who will be ranked once they play eight ODIs.
