Australia has regained its position at the top of the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings, pushing Pakistan to second place with India following closely behind. An annual update that includes matches completed since May 2020 resulted in the changes, and it looks like the top three teams will have a lot to play for in the year-end's ODI World Cup in India.
Australia, with a rating of 118 points, is two points clear of Pakistan, who sit on 116 points, and India, who are just a point behind with 115 points. Pakistan briefly grabbed the number one spot on May 5 but lost the final ODI of their five-match home series to New Zealand and slipped back behind Australia.
Had Pakistan completed a 5-0 sweep in the series against New Zealand, they would have remained at the top of the ODI rankings even after the annual update.
The World Cup, which takes place this year, is sure to bring an interesting battle at the top of the rankings, with only three points separating Australia, Pakistan, and India. The top eight teams, which include South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies, have qualified directly for this year's World Cup.