New Zealand trump South Africa to end the year at the third position in ICC Test rankings

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 423 runs to win the two-match series by 1-0.

By Aditya Gajanan Kukalyekar

Updated - 30 Dec 2018, 11:46 IST

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New Zealand won their fourth consecutive Test series and finish the year on 107 points, two points ahead of South Africa, whom they have overtaken. New Zealand have overtaken South Africa to take third place in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings after completing a 1-0 win over Sri Lanka in their two-Test series.

The home side, which the second Test in Christchurch by a record 423 runs, reaped the dividends of a fourth consecutive Test series win to finish the year at 107 points. They started the series with 105 points and could have gone up to 109 points and second place had they won both matches against Sri Lanka.

However, fourth-placed South Africa, who lead 1-0 in an ongoing three-Test series against Pakistan, can reach 110 points and the second spot by blanking the opposition. India, who lead 2-1 after three matches of their four-Test series in Australia, remain at the top of the year-end rankings with 116 points. England are second with 108 points and Australia fifth on 102 points.

Poor year for Australia and Pakistan

While India, England and New Zealand thoroughly deserve the top three positions, the teams like Australia and Pakistan have suffered a lot this year. Both the teams have lost a lot of matches and especially at home which has cost them big in the rankings.

If Australia are at the fifth position, Pakistan are struggling miserably in the whites securing the seventh place with 92 points to their name. They are currently playing against South Africa in the rainbow nation and need to put up an improved show compared to the first Test to climb in the rankings early in the neat year.

Here are the latest Test team rankings:

Rank Country Points
1  India 116
2  England 108
3  New Zealand 108
4  South Africa 105
5  Australia 102
6  Sri Lanka 93
7  Pakistan 92
8  West Indies 70
9  Bangladesh 69
10  Zimbabwe 13

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