New Delhi : The Indian cricket team retained the top spot in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings following the annual update, maintaining a slender five-point lead over second-placed New Zealand men’s national cricket team.

India now have 118 rating points after slipping by one point, while New Zealand are placed second with 113 points. Australia cricket team remained third with 109 points.

The annual rankings update gives full weightage to matches played since May 2025, while games from the previous two years carry a 50 per cent weighting.

South Africa climbed into the top four with 102 points, overtaking the Pakistan men’s national cricket team, who dropped to fifth with 98 points.

The rest of the top 10 rankings remained unchanged, with Sri Lankan men’s national cricket team at sixth on 96 points, followed by Afghanistan men’s national cricket team with 93 and England men’s national cricket team on 89 points.

Bangladesh held the ninth position with 84 points, while the West Indies cricket team remained 10th with 74 points, widening the gap between the two teams from six to 10 points after the update.

The rankings carry significant importance in the race for direct qualification to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.

The top eight teams in the ODI rankings as of March 31, 2027, will secure direct qualification alongside hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, who have already qualified automatically.

If South Africa remains in the top eight, the ninth-ranked side could also earn a direct berth for the tournament.

Further down the rankings, the Ireland cricket team moved ahead of the Zimbabwe national cricket team into 11th place with 54 points, while the United States national cricket team climbed to 13th after surpassing the Scotland national cricket team by 46 points to 44.

The United Arab Emirates also improved its standing, moving to 19th after overtaking Canada with 16 points.