Australia Enter World Cup as No.1 Side

Posted on 13th Feb 2015 10:52 am by mohit kumar

Adelaide, Feb 12 (IANS) Australia will launch a campaign to win their fifth cricket World Cup title when they enter the 11th edition of the game’s pinnacle tournament as the No.1 ranked side.

The team from Down Under will feature on the opening day Feb 14 in Melbourne when they locks horn with England, which currently sits in fifth position in the One-Day International (ODI) rankings.

Earlier on the same day in Christchurch, co-host and sixth-ranked New Zealand will go head-to-head with former champions and fourth-placed Sri Lanka with just five points separating the two sides in the rankings.

Australia enjoys a comfortable six-point advantage over their closest rival and defending champions India, which squares off against traditional rivals and seventh-ranked Pakistan in Adelaide.

Also Feb 15 in Hamilton, third-ranked South Africa takes on continental rival Zimbabwe, which is currently 10th and trailing the title favourites by 55 points.

Two-time former champions and eighth-ranked West Indies will meet 12th-ranked Ireland in Nelson Feb 16 with 60 points separating the two sides.

Australia had also started as the top-ranked side in the 2011 edition, played in the subcontinent. However, it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side that lifted the trophy in Mumbai after entering the competition in second position and 12 points behind Australia.

Australia not only has the home advantage this time around, they are also enjoying a winning momentum, having won 17 ODIs with just five defeats and one no-result since January 2014.

International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI team rankings:

1. Australia 120 points
2. India 114
3. South Africa 113
4. Sri Lanka 108
5. England 104
6. New Zealand 103
7. Pakistan 95
8. West Indies 94
9. Bangladesh 75
10. Zimbabwe 53

Other news

A record over 1.31 lakh patients were found in 24 hours; India is the second country after America where so many patients are growing together

Coronaviruses in the country are getting worse every day. Every day a new record of infection cas

Samsung Galaxy F12 launched in India, will get a 6000mAh strong battery in low price

Tech company Samsung has launched both new smartphones under its F series in India. The company h

Admission in all central universities will now be done only through a joint entrance examination, the system will be applicable from the new academic session

On the lines of JEE and NEET to be conducted for admission in engineering and medical education i

Girlfriend came to India by swimming from Bangladesh: 22-year-old girl swam in the river for an hour, married her lover; now arrested

The love that does not make is less. This is what you would say after hearing the story of 22-yea

Vikram Hospitalized: South actor Vikram's health deteriorated, admitted to Chennai hospital

Ponniyin Selvan Vikram Hospitalized: The health of South cinema veteran Vikram has suddenly deter

India to host 22nd World Congress on fertility

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) India will host the 22nd world congress on fertility which aims to pr

Cyclone Nisarga: If you live in Maharashtra, do not forget these things, Cyclone nature is causing havoc

Cyclone Nisarga in Maharashtra is going to knock between 1 pm and 3 pm on Wednesday afternoon. Al

Aamir Khan is Amitabh Bachchan's 'number 1 fan', shocked Big B by showing 51-year-old proof related to Jaya Bachchan

Bollywood actors Aamir Khan and Junaid Khan are coming on the stage of the quiz reality show Kaun

IND vs ENG: India will try to win their fifth consecutive T20 series against England, in the third match today, amazing performance is expected from SKY's bat

World champion Indian team will play the third T20 on Tuesday to maintain its dominance over Engl

BJP engaged in mission 2024 in Bihar as soon as JDU is separated, Amit Shah will blow the bugle from Seemanchal

The BJP, which was out of power in Bihar due to the change of Nitish Kumar, has now started its p