Struggling Australia slip to 6th spot in ICC ODI rankings
Australia’s dip in ranking was confirmed by the ICC post their 5-0 defeat to England in ODI series.
Australian cricket team has slipped to the sixth spot in ICC ODI rankings — their worst in last 34 years — after an embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the hands of a rampant England in the recently-concluded series.
Australia lost a low-scoring thriller at Old Trafford on Sunday evening by a margin of one wicket, as Jos Buttler’s prime form proved beyond the visitor’s as they suffered their first-ever 5-0 defeat in an ODI series to England.
The 5-0 defeat to England is the second whitewash of the 2015 World Cup winners Australia, who had suffered a similar fate in the 2016-17 season in an away series against South Africa.
The ICC released a statement shortly after Australia’s defeat stating, “Australia have slipped behind Pakistan after losing four points in the series and finishing on 100 points. Australia, who fell to sixth place for the first time in more than three decades when they conceded a 2-0 lead during the series, are now two points behind Pakistan and seven ahead of Bangladesh.”
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England, who went into the series as the No 1 side having suffered a shock defeat to Scotland in a one-off contest, have thus consolidated their position.
England will now gear up for their toughest challenge at home this season, wherein they face the Indian cricket team in a three-match T20I, a three-match ODI and a five-match Test series from July to September.
Australia, meanwhile, will play a one-off T20I against England before flying to Zimbabwe to play in a T20I triangular series beginning July 1, with Pakistan being the third team.
