Indian cricket team continues dominance in T20I rankings

New Delhi: The Indian cricket team asserted their dominance in the ICC annual rankings as they have sealed their place at the top in T20I.
India have added two points increasing their lead to 267 as they go eight points clear of Men's T20 World Champions England (259). India had a below-par T20 World Cup in 2021 but bounced back with a semi-final appearance in 2022.
The Men in Blue have been terrific in T20Is since May 2020, having lost just one bilateral series (against Sri Lanka in 2021), emerging victorious in 13 other series while one ended in a draw (against South Africa in 2022).
The new rankings reflect all T20I series completed since May 2020, with those completed prior to May 2022 weighted at 50 per cent and every subsequent series weighted at 100 per cent. New Zealand (256) benefit from the latest rankings update as they make a two-spot jump from No.5 to No.3. They now breathe down the neck of England, with just three points separating the two sides.
Pakistan and South Africa, the two teams that the Black Caps leapfrogged to No.3 complete the top 5. Hong Kong and the USA were the biggest victors, with both teams jumping three spots each, the biggest climb in the annual rankings update. Hong Kong enter top 20 from No. 21 to No.18 while the USA ascend to No.22.
Among the biggest fallers are Oman and PNG, each down two places to 20th and 21st respectively while Singapore fell six places to No.36.
A total of 84 teams are now ranked in the T20I team rankings after having played the minimum 6 T20I matches in the past three years. Six countries -- Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Iran, Mexico and Peru -- have dropped off the table after failing to fulfil the criteria of a minimum of six games played, with the latter five countries not playing a single T20I since May 2020. (ANI)