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LAHORE, March 23: India will have more than just pride at stake in Wednesday's deciding one-dayer against Pakistan, as a win would see them leapfrog their rivals in the cricket ratings.
If the tourists win the final game and clinch the five-match series, currently deadlocked 2-2, they will climb above Pakistan in the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s official one-day rankings to fifth place.
However, if Pakistan win the day/night game at the Qadhafi Stadium, Inzamamul Haq's side will retain its fifth place with an improved rating while India will stay at seven.
Pakistan are currently on 107 points, behind world champions Australia (135), South Africa (113), and Sri Lanka and New Zealand with 109 each. India, last year's World Cup finalists, are tied with England on 106 points, but if Saurav Ganguly's men win on Wednesday they will move to 107 and Pakistan will drop to 106.
This will leave India in fifth place and Pakistan on sixth, an ICC release said. A Pakistani win would increase their rating to 108, while India would fall behind England to 105. A tied match will leave Pakistan with a one-point lead over India, the release said.
Latest one-day rankings (tabulated under placing, country, points):
1 Australia 135
2 South Africa 113
3 Sri Lanka 109
4 New Zealand 109
5 Pakistan 107
6 England 106
7 India 106
8 West Indies 100
9 Zimbabwe 64
10 Kenya 28
11 Bangladesh 3
Note: Where two teams are level on points, the team with the better win ratio is given a higher placing. -AFP
