India retain No. 1 spot in ICC ODI rankings

World Champions India have retained their number-one ranking in the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings following the conclusion of their series against England and the triangular series in Zimbabwe.

India surged to the top of the table on August 30 after they won the 4th ODI in Nottingham against England. Although they lost the fifth ODI at Headingley on Friday, South Africa's victory in the final of the tri-series against Australia meant that Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team held onto the number-one position by a fraction of a point.

India and South Africa are equal at 113 ratings points, but when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, India have 113.49 ratings points as compared to South Africa's 112.96 ratings points.

Australia needed to beat South Africa in the final to regain the number-one spot, but the defeat meant that they finished on equal points with Sri Lanka, at 111. When the ratings were calculated beyond the decimal point, Sri Lanka were ranked third and Australia fourth.

Australia entered the series in the number-one position but their three-wicket loss to hosts, Zimbabwe cost them three valuable ratings points, which resulted in them dropping to 111 ratings points.

With less than six months left for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to begin, ODI cricket between full members will resume in October, when India play hosts to West Indies in a five-match ODI series. Australia will be travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lock horns with Pakistan in a three-match series during the same time while New Zealand will host South Africa in a three-match series.

Next week, Ireland and Scotland will square-off in a three-ODI series in Dublin. These matches will be played on 8,10 and 12 September. Both sides have qualified for the World Cup, with Scotland in Group A alongside Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, while Ireland are grouped with India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, UAE and Zimbabwe in Group B.