Chance for Windies, Pakistan to climb to third in T20 rankings

The West Indies and Pakistan square-off in a fourmatch series starting in Bridgetown on Sunday with a chance to move up to third position in the ICC T20I team rankings.

But for that to happen, either of the two teams, who will also be playing a three ODI series next month in a bid to boost their direct qualification chances for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, will need to dominate in the T20I series.

ICC World Twenty20 champion West Indies will move up from 116 points to 123 points if they win all the matches while a 3-1 win will see them leapfrog third-placed South Africa, who are on 117 points. Pakistan could go up to 118 points and the third position from its current sixth position with a 4-0 win while a 3-1 result will lift them to fourth position with 116 points.

New Zealand currently lead the table with 127 points while India are in second position with 124 points.

In the ICC Rankings for T20I batsmen, Marlon Samuels is the top-ranked batsman from either side in 19th position while. Ranked third with 723 points , Samuel Badree is the highest ranked bowler.

Teams:

West Indies: Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Evin Lewis, Chadwick Walton (wicketkeeper), Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jason Mohammed, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree.

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain/ wicketkeeper), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir, Rumman Raees, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz.