ICC World Twenty20 champion Sri Lanka goes head to head with host New Zealand in a two-match Twenty20 International series on Thursday, 7 January, in Mount Maunganui fully aware that it needs to either draw or win the series to retain its number-one position on the ICC T20I Team Rankings.
Sri Lanka (125) leads eighth-ranked New Zealand (108) by 17 points, which means it is expected to win the series comfortably. This, in turn, means if the series ends in a draw, the difference will reduce to 14 points, but more importantly, Sri Lanka will retain its number-one position.
In contrast, if New Zealand wins both the matches, then Sri Lanka will join the West Indies and Australia on 118 points but will be ranked behind the West Indies and Australia in third position when the points are calculated beyond the decimal point. In this scenario, New Zealand will rise to seventh position on 114 points and will reduce the gap with Sri Lanka to just four points.
The last time eighth-ranked New Zealand played Sri Lanka was in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014, when it lost by a big margin. This year, Sri Lanka’s record in T20Is reads as one win out of four while New Zealand is marginally better with two wins out of four.
There is plenty to play for as both the sides head into the final phase of their preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which will take place from 8 March to 3 April. With a lot of T20I cricket to be played in the lead up to the ICC World Twenty India 2016, changes are expected in the ICC T20I Team Championship table.
To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the T20 rankings table, please click here. The T20I rankings table is updated after each match.
Meanwhile, in the absence of Brendon McCullum, an in-form Kane Williamson will lead New Zealand. The 25-year-old is ranked 14th in the ICC T20I Player Rankings, and has an opportunity to break into the top 10.
Martin Guptill, who was the star of the ODI series, will start in 10th position and no doubt will have a crucial role to play for his side.
For Sri Lanka, a lot will depend on the experienced shoulders of Tillakaratne Dilshan. The 39-year-old is ranked at an impressive ninth, and will be the guiding force for the side in the absence of regular captain Lasith Malinga who has been ruled out due to injury.
Aaron Finch of Australia, India’s Virat Kohli and Alex Hales of England occupy the top three spots in the batsman rankings.
A look at the ICC T20I Bowler Rankings shows Sri Lanka bowler Sachithra Senanayake as the highest-ranked bowler from either side in number-three. Nuwan Kulasekara is the other bowler inside the top 10 in 10th spot.
For New Zealand, Mitchell McClenaghan is one to watch out for. The left-arm medium fast bowler is ranked 12th, a career-best position for him, along with Adam Milne, also at a career-high position of 41st.
(Sri Lanka Cricket)
