Pakistan lost the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings on Sunday, just 48 hours after they had claimed it for the first time in history.
The Babar Azam-led side had beaten New Zealand by 102 runs in the fourth ODI on Friday to go 4-0 up in the series. However, they were unable to complete the whitewash as the Kiwis won the final match by 47 runs.
As a result of the loss, Pakistan dropped to third place in the rankings, behind Australia and India. Australia now has 113 points, India has 112 points, and Pakistan has 111 points.
Pakistan’s loss is a major setback for the team, who had been on a roll in ODI cricket in recent months. They had won their previous eight ODIs, including a 2-1 series win over England and a 3-0 series win over South Africa.
However, the loss to New Zealand will be a reminder that Pakistan is still a work in progress. They have a young team with a lot of talent, but they need to learn how to win consistently against the best teams in the world.
The next major test for Pakistan will be the ICC Cricket World Cup, which will be held in India in 2023. If Pakistan can qualify for the tournament and perform well, they will have a good chance of winning the title for the first time in their history.
More changes in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings as New Zealand win the fifth #PAKvNZ ODI.
— ICC (@ICC) May 8, 2023
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