Windies breathing down India’s neck in rankings
Published: Guardian
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
DELHI—Newly crowned World T20 champions West Indies have moved within sight of number-one ranked India after recapturing the title they first won in 2012.
West Indies defeated 2010 champions England by four wickets in Sundays’ finals and has moved ahead of New Zealand in second place, according to the latest ICC team rankings released yesterday. The West Indies is now on 125 points, one point behind India which lost to them in the second semi-final.
New Zealand has retained its third place at 120 points while England is now fourth after swapping places with South Africa. Meantime West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels who won the player of the final award, has also returned to the top 20 in 18th position.
West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons has moved up by 17 places to 32nd while his team mate Johnson Charles is at 50th after moving up 14 places. West Indies’ Samuel Badree is the number-one ranked bowler and he leads fellow wrist-spinner Imran Tahir of South Africa by 50 points, while India’s Ravichandaran Ashwin is in third position, another 28 points behind.
Andre Russell is among bowlers outside the top 25 to make an impact in the latest rankings after moving up 18 places to 58th. The West Indies Women who completed an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Australian Women in the final, have moved-up to 104 points, just three behind India.
Australia has managed to retain its top rating, and is closely followed in second place by semi-finalist England which has dropped a point and now five points behind Australia. West Indies women players also rose significantly in the rankings, released by the ICC on Monday.
Player of the final Hayley Matthews was rewarded with a 26-place jump in batting rankings and a 22-place move up in the all-rounder rankings. Matthews is now within striking distance of the top 50 while her senior colleague Merissa Aguilleira has advanced to 47th position.
The bowlers too had plenty to celebrate with Anisa Mohammed gaining a spot to enter the top five. Player of the tournament Stafanie Taylor moved up five places in the bowlers’ rankings to 35th, while team-mate Shamilia Connell has also gained five places to reach 45th.
Taylor and Deandra Dottin are among five players to have retained their top-five all-rounder positions while spinner Afy Fletcher has also climbed significantly.
www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2016-04-05/wind...80%99s-neck-rankings
