England plummet to No 5 in the ODI rankings

England plummet to No 5 in the ODI rankings – just five months ahead of defence of their World Cup crown in India – after winning only one of their last five series

• England will attempt to defend their World Cup crown in India in October
• A 2-1 success in Bangladesh in March halted a spell of four winless series 

England have plummeted to No 5 in international cricket’s one-day rankings, five months shy of defending their world title in India.

The International Cricket Council’s annual update released on Thursday has seen Jos Buttler’s team plunge a huge 10 points via a combination of results from 2019-20 no longer counting in the ratings calculations and ones from the past 12 months – including more losses than wins – being weighted at 100%.

England became the No 1 50-over team during a surge to World Cup glory on home soul in 2019, but as of this week that period no longer has a bearing on their standing. In contrast, a 2-1 success in Bangladesh in March halted a spell of four winless series.

There were mitigating circumstances for some of that barren period, as shadow sides were used in Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh last winter when some players oped to play in franchise tournaments instead and multi-format cricketers were rested to prioritise other assignments.

England will still travel to the subcontinent at the start of October as one of the favourites, but could do so with an even lower status.

World champions England have plummeted to No 5 in international cricket’s one-day rankings

Jos Buttler’s side have won just one of their last five series – away in Bangladesh in March 

Sixth-placed South Africa are less than a point behind while England’s points advantage over the Bangladeshis in seventh is just four.

World rankings run in four-year cycles and are recalibrated each May: England have won 17 and lost 14 of their 31 completed ODIs in the three years stretching back to May 2020.

Ashes rivals Australia remain top following the once-a-year reset, although Pakistan would have sat at the summit had they completed a 5-0 whitewash over New Zealand in Karachi last Sunday. The narrow loss left them second.

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