Basil
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Australia, England, South Africa and West Indies eye gains on T20I rankings
Four of the top eight sides on the Reliance ICC T20I Team Rankings Table will be seen in action in six matches in the upcoming fortnight, in the final tune-up ahead of ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014, scheduled to be held from 16 March to 6 April.
Third-ranked South Africa on 123 ratings points plays ICC World Twenty20 2010 runner-up Australia (110) in sixth place from 9 March at Port Elizabeth. Meanwhile, ICC World Twenty20 2012 champion fifth-placed West Indies (111) takes on England (105) in eighth position, winner of the 2010 edition, also from 9 March at Bridgetown, Barbados.
Sri Lanka is the number-one ranked side with 129 ratings points. Only eight ratings points separate the top four sides, with India (123 points), South Africa (123 points) and Pakistan (121 points) close on the heels of the number-one ranked side.
Hence, just before the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014, a bit of movement is expected on the table.
With both series (South Africa v Australia and West Indies v England) being held simultaneously, results in either will affect sides’ movements.
Both Australia and England have an opportunity to make upward movements if they win all matches in their respective series. Australia can rise two places to fourth, whereas England can move up two places to sixth.
South Africa can rise a place to second if it wins all the matches against Australia, whereas West Indies and England will retain its pre-series positions if Darren Sammy’s side wins the series 3-0.
A loss for any of the four sides will see a number of changes in the table
Meanwhile, Alex Hales in second position will start off as the highest-ranked batsman on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I batsmen in the matches scheduled to be played.
Aaron Finch in third, Shane Watson (eighth) and David Warner (ninth) are the other batsmen within the top 10 who are likely to be in action.
The other batsmen inside the top 20 likely to be in action are JP Duminy (12th), Chris Gayle (16th), Faf du Plessis (17th) and Marlon Samuels (20th).
Outside the top 20, the batsmen likely to be seen in action are Cameron White (25th), George Bailey (29th), Dwayne Bravo (30th), Luke Wright (36th), AB de Villiers (38th), Hashim Amla (40th), Lendl Simmons (43rd), Michael Lumb (47th), Ravi Bopara (55th) and Quinton de Kock (58th).
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine, number-one ranked bowler on the Reliance ICC Player Ranking for T20I bowlers will lead the field in the coming fortnight and hope to consolidate his lead at the top.
Narine will be seen in action against West Indies. Inside the top 10 the only other bowler likely to be in action is South Africa's Lonwabo Tsotsobe (seventh) against Australia.
Outside the top 10, the bowlers likely to play are Stuart Broad (13th), Samuel Badree (15th), Jade Dernbach (19th), Shane Watson (25th), Mitchell Starc (26th), Darren Sammy (27th), Morne Morkel (30th), Tim Bresnan (35th), Wayne Parnell (38th), Dwayne Bravo (47th), Ravi Rampaul (57th) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (68th).
