Australia finishes as the number-one ranked Test side at the annual cut-off date

Australia has regained the prestigious ICC Test Mace and has also won a cash award of $1million after winning the Christchurch Test by seven wickets, which has given it a 2-0 series win against New Zealand.
 
The result means Australia has finished two points ahead of India on 112 points in the final series before the 1 April cut-off date. Steve Smith will receive the Mace and the cash award on behalf of his team in a ceremony to be held at a later date.

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This is the eighth time Australia has finished as the number-one ranked Test side at the annual cut-off date since the inception of the current rankings system in 2003. It had earlier topped the table each year from 2003 to 2009, before India claimed number-one spots in 2010 and 2011. England ended as the number-one ranked side in 2012 before South Africa completed a hat-trick by retaining the top spot from 2013 to 2015.
 
India, by virtue of finishing second, will collect $500K, while South Africa will pocket $200K and Pakistan $100K after claiming third and fourth positions, respectively.
 
It is a double delight for Smith’s men who had earlier topped the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings at the annual cut-off date. It had finished comfortably ahead of second-placed New Zealand, followed by India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England.
 
On the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings, India leads the field with South Africa occupying second position following its 2-0 win over England. The two are followed by the West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England and Australia.
 
A shuffling of the pack is on the cards as a lot of cricket in the shortest format of the game is still to be played before the 1 April cut-off date. While the main round of the Asia Cup T20 will be played from 24 February to 6 March in Mirpur, the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 will be staged from 8 March to 3 April.
 
The MRF Tyres ICC Team Rankings can be found here, while the T20I predictor function is available here.
 
MRF Tyres ICC Test Rankings (as of 24 February, after the conclusion of New Zealand-Australia series)
 
RANK TEAM           POINTS
1          Australia          112
2          India                110
3          South Africa   109
4          Pakistan           106
5          England           102
6          New Zealand  96
7          Sri Lanka         89
8          West Indies     76
9          Bangladesh     47
10        Zimbabwe       05

MRF Tyres ICC ODI Rankings (as of 24 February)
 
RANK TEAM           POINTS
1          Australia          126
2          New Zealand  114
3          India                113
4          South Africa   112
5          Sri Lanka         104
6          England           101
7          Bangladesh     97
8          Pakistan           87
9          West Indies     86
10        Afghanistan    47
11        Ireland             46
12        Zimbabwe       45
 
MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings (as of 24 February, after the Asia Cup qualifying matches)
 
RANK TEAM           POINTS
1          India                122
2          South Africa   119
3          West Indies     118
4          New Zealand  116
5          Sri Lanka         116
6          Pakistan           113
7          England           112
8          Australia          110
9          Afghanistan    77
10        Scotland          69
11        Bangladesh     64
12        Netherlands     59
13        Zimbabwe       54
14        Hong Kong     49
15        Ireland             48
16        UAE                42
17        Oman              32
 
(Developed by David Kendix)
World champions also claim number-one position on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings 
India leads T20I table with South Africa in second position

By: Editor