New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) New Zealand on Saturday lost the top spot in ICC Men’s ODI Rankings after a comprehensive eight-wicket loss to India in the second ODI at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
Due to the loss in Raipur also resulting in a series defeat, New Zealand have now slipped to number two position in the Men’s ODI Team Rankings, making way for Jos Buttler-led England to take the top spot in the chart.
Before Saturday’s match in Raipur, New Zealand sat at the top with 115 rating points. England were at the second position with 113 rating points, Australia third with 112 rating and India fourth with 111 rating points.
After losing to India by eight wickets, New Zealand are now at the second spot with 113 rating points and 3166 overall points. England and India are first and third respectively, also with 113 rating points. While England have 3,400 overall points, India have 4,847 overall points.
If India replicate their performances from the first two matches in the last game of the series at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Tuesday and sweep the series 3-0, they will become the number one side in the ODI rankings.
Coming to the match in Raipur, Indian bowlers, led by senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami, were accurate in their bowling, while fetching good swing, turn, bounce, and took sharp return catches in an impressive show to bowl out New Zealand for just 108.
Shami and Mohammed Siraj found enough seam movement on a pitch with some grass cover to run through the New Zealand top and middle order, reducing them to 15/5 at one stage in 11 overs.
Though Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner played some defiant knocks, they were unable to bail their side out of trouble and the pressure maintained by Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav.
Captain Rohit Sharma then smashed 51 off 50 balls while Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 40 as India chased down the paltry total in 20.1 overs, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which is also their second ODI series victory of the year at home.
–IANS
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