Afghanistan's ODI rank under threat from Ireland

Ireland will take on Afghanistan in the five-match ODI series starting July 10. Irish team has to defeat Afghanistan by a margin of 4-1 or 5-0 in the upcoming series to topple them in the ICC ODI team rankings.

A 4-1 win for Ireland in the series will lift them to 51 points with Afghanistan slipping down to 44 points to take the last place. A 3-2 win for Ireland will reduce the gap to three points with Afghanistan ahead on 48 and Ireland on 45 points.

They recently defeated Scotland 1-0 in a two-game ODI series and hold the 10th place in the team rankings with 51 points. Ireland is positioned last in the 12-team list with 41 points

There will be no threat for the ninth-placed Pakistan team which has 87 points. Zimbabwe will remain sandwiched between Afghanistan and Ireland at 11th in any of these scenarios with 46 points.

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Australia is at the top of the table with 123 points. Black Caps second with 113 while India and South Africa are both at 110 with India ahead on decimal points.

In the ICC ODI Batsmen Rankings, Afghanistan’s opener Mohammad Shahzad goes in as top-ranked from either side at a career-best 34th, gaining nine places after knocks of 26 and 84 against. Mohammad Nabi (56th), Samiullah Shenwari (72nd) and Noor Ali Zadran (83rd) are the other prominent Afghanistan players in the rankings.

In the Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers, off-spinner Mohamad Nabi has gained one position to reach the 22nd place.

In the All-rounder rankings, Mohammad Nabi (7th) is the top all-rounder for the team.

Ireland v Afghanistan ODI series schedule:

10 July – 1st ODI, Belfast
12 July – 2nd ODI, Belfast
14 July – 3rd ODI, Belfast
17 July – 4th ODI, Belfast
19 July – 5th ODI, Belfast

Squads:

Ireland:

William Porterfield (captain), Mark Adair, John Anderson, Peter Chase, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Stuart Poynter, Paul Stirling, Sean Terry, Garry Wilson.

Afghanistan:

Asghar Stanikzai (captain), Amir Hamza, Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Javed Ahmadi, Mirwais Ashraf, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shenwari, Shapoor Zadran, Yamin Ahmadzai.