Cricket World Ratings 30th December 2024

2024's test calendar has ended with Australia going one-up with one to play in their series against India; South Africa shaving a home win in their first game against Pakistan; and Zimbabwe playing out a high-scoring (and rather boring draw) against their visitors Afghanistan.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     260 +12
2. South Africa  180  +9
3. India         178 -12
4. England       171
5. New Zealand   148 
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       41  -8
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Ireland      -300  
11. Zimbabwe     -305  -9
12. Afghanistan  -334  +9 

Broadly speaking, not much has changed over the course of the year. England, down 53, are the biggest losers; and Ireland, who won two test matches, the biggest gainers; but the overall pecking order has not changed by that much.  The 2025 season begins in just a few days, with the next (and final) game in all three current series.

Cricket World Ratings 18th December 2024

England won their first two tests of their current tour of New Zealand; the hosts, however, won big in the final game, although the series was already lost.  Meanwhile, bad weather consiged the third of the five game series between Australia and India to a draw; with the series poised at one-all, this one could still go either way. My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     248 -10
2. India         190 +10
3. South Africa  181
4. England       171 -21
5. New Zealand   148 +21
6. Sri Lanka      73
   
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

With the series in New Zealand now complete, the offical ratings look like this:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         111 
   
3. South Africa  109  
   
4. England       105 +2
   
5. New Zealand    97 -3 
6. Sri Lanka      97  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    75   
9. Bangladesh     65        
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

After Christmas, the series in Australia resumes; Pakistan play a game in South Africa, and Afghanistan have a game in Zimbabwe.

Cricket World Ratinfs 9th December 2024

Two visiting teams recently started series with wins, England winning their first game in New Zealand, and India seeing off Australia.  But Australia have now levelled their series (with three games still to go), while England have secured their three game affair by also winning the second test.  In fact, the top six teams in world cricket have all been in action this past week, with South Africa winning a one-off test at home against Sri Lanka. My ratings now look as follows:

1. Australia     258 +12
2. England       192 +26
3. South Africa  181 +10
4. India         180 -12
5. New Zealand   127 -26
6. Sri Lanka      73 -10
   
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

The series in Australia and New Zealand resume later this week.

Cricket World Ratings 4th December 2024

England were recently worsted in Pakistan, whereas New Zealand managed an epic 3-0 win in India.  But it's England who have just emerged victorious from their first test in New Zealand, whereas India bounced back by winning in Australia (in a series that is soon to continue).  Meanwhile, Bangladesh have come from behind to draw their series in the West Indies.  My ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     246
2. India         192
3. England       166 +30
4. South Africa  159
5. New Zealand   153 -31
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies   -39 -33  
   
9. Bangladesh    -81 +34              
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

The official ratings now take in the drawn series in the Caribbean:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         111 
   
3. South Africa  105  
   
4. England       103 
5. New Zealand   100 
6. Sri Lanka      91  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    75  -2 
9. Bangladesh     65  +1      
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

The series in Australia and New Zealand resume later this week.

Cricket World Ratings 26th November 2024

India were recently whitewashed at home by New Zealand, the sort of thing that just doesn't happen.  But they've bounced right back, winning the first game on their tour of Australia. Less suprisingly, West Indies have just won at home against Bangladesh.  My ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     246 -34
2. India         192 +34
3. New Zealand   184
4. South Africa  159
5. England       136
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies    -6 +10 
   
9. Bangladesh   -115 -11               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

Meanwhile the official ratings have just incorporated the previous results from India, although they give New Zealand a little less credit than mine do:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         111 -10
   
3. South Africa  105  
   
4. England       103 
5. New Zealand   100 +11 
6. Sri Lanka      91  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    77 
9. Bangladesh     64      
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

Tomorrow, two new series get underway: South Africa host Sri Lanka, while England are playing in New Zealand.

Cricket World Ratings 3rd November 2021

South Africa have just walloped Bangladesh for the second (and final time) on their tour, but the really remarkable recent result is New Zealand's completion of a 3-0 whitewash of their hosts India. India have been so strong for so long (especially at home) that such a result is completely surprising. The effect on my ratings of these games, along with Pakistan's recent comeback in their series against England, is quite striking:

1. Australia     280
2. New Zealand   184 +30
3. South Africa  159 +11
4. India         158 -29
5. England       136 -26
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       49
8. West Indies     2 
   
9. Bangladesh    -94               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

To put this into context, Australia, England, and India have been the top three (although not consistently in that order) in the ratings since September 2022; and India have never been ranked so low since I started compiling these ratings in 2016.  

The official ratings tend to be slower to adjust, and at the time of writing have only incorporated the results from Bangladesh, so there is less to note as yet:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         121  
   
3. South Africa  105  +1
   
4. England       103 
   
5. Sri Lanka      91   
   
6. New Zealand    89  
7. Pakistan       86
8. West Indies    77 
9. Bangladesh     64  -1    
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

At the end of the month, India and Bangladesh will try to recover (but both playing away, against Australia and the West Indies respectively).

Cricket World Ratings 26th October 2024

England's recent tour of Pakistan produced some remarkable happenings: first, England won the first test by an innings after conceding 550 first time in the field. Then, two bowlers drafted into the Pakistan side for tests two and three took an astonishing 39 wickets between them to win the series.  Meanwhile, New Zealand just beaten India twice in two games, a result few would surely have predicted.  Less surprisingly, South Africa have just won their first game in Bangladesh. My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     280 
2. India         187 -33 
3. New Zealand   154 +33 
4. South Africa  148 +11
5. England       136 -26
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       49 +26
8. West Indies     2 
   
9. Bangladesh    -94 -12               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

Incorporating the results from Pakistan, the official ratings now look as follows:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         121  
   
3. South Africa  104 
4. England       103  -5
   
5. Sri Lanka      91   
   
6. New Zealand    89  
7. Pakistan       86 +10
8. West Indies    77 
9. Bangladesh     65    
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

Both the series in India and Bangladesh have another game to go.

Cricket World Ratings 20th October 2024

Less than a week ago, Pakistan batted first, scored 550, and lost by an innings to England, an extraordinary result and the team's sixth straight home defeat.  But they have bounced back, winning the second test, and with a third test still to play, now have a chance to win the series.  At the same time as Pakistan's loss, New Zealand were also losing (on their tour of India) but have also recovered to win, in spite of the fact that after a humiliating first innings collapase, India scored over 10 times as many runs in their second effort.  The effect of these matches on my rankings is as follows:

1. Australia     280 
2. India         220 -37 
3. England       162 -30    
4. South Africa  137
5. New Zealand   121 +36
6. Sri Lanka      95 
7. Pakistan       23 +30
8. West Indies     2  
9. Bangladesh    -82               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

Both series will now go to a decider, while tomorrow, South Africa begin a tour of Bangladesh.

Cricket world ratings 11th October 2024

Pakistan have been on a terrible run of results recently, but having scored 550 against England, they might finally have thought this was coming to an end.  Astonishingly, they lost by an innings.  My ratings now look as follows:

1. Australia     280 
2. India         257 
3. England       192 +14    
4. South Africa  137
5. Sri Lanka      95 
   
6. New Zealand    85  
7. West Indies     2  
8. Pakistan       -7 -14
   
9. Bangladesh    -82               
   
10. Zimbabwe     -296
    
11. Ireland      -300   
12. Afghanistan  -343 

Meanwhile, the official rankings have now incorporated India's recent series win over Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka's similar (but somewhat less unsurprising) win over New Zealand:

1. Australia     124 
2. India         121 +1
   
3. England       108  
   
4. South Africa  104    
5. Sri Lanka      91 +8   
6. New Zealand    89 -7  
7. West Indies    77  
   
8. Pakistan       76 
   
9. Bangladesh     65 -1  
10. Ireland        26  
11. Zimbabwe        4 
12. Afghanistan     0
    

New Zealand now have the tough job of trying to break their losing run in Inda; Pakistan at least get another crack at home against England.