Top 5 best-ranked teams in world cricket across all formats

Cricket is a game which has three formats at the international level - Tests, ODIs and T20s. All the three formats are completely different from each other which is the reason we have different countries dominating in different formats. India is currently the leader in Tests, in ODIs England is topping the list and T20 Internationals are dominated by Pakistan.

ICC gives points to all the teams based on their performances in different tournaments and bilateral series. These points are then used for ranking of the teams. The ranking helps in keeping a healthy competition among the countries to keep fighting for victories. All the three formats have a different ranking list.

Based on the three ranking lists this articles creates a list of top 5 teams. Criteria used is taking the average of points in all the three lists.

#9 Bangladesh

Format Tests: Points: 67 Rank: 9

Format ODIs: Points: 93 Rank: 7

Format T20Is: Points: 77 Rank: 10

Average Points across three formats: 79

Average Rank across three formats: 8.66

Bangladesh has been a very improved side, especially in ODIs. They are a very good side at home and it very difficult to beat them on their soil. They need to improve in Test cricket and also have to improve their performance on foreign tours.

#8 West Indies

Format Tests: Points: 76 Rank: 8

Format ODIs: Points: 72 Rank: 9

Format T20Is: Points: 102 Rank: 7

Average Points across three formats: 83.33

Average Rank across three formats: 8

West Indies cricket has been going through a very difficult phase. Across three formats they are in the bottom of the list. They recently were thrashed by India in all the three formats. The ODI series which West Indies won was in 2014. Some very talented players are coming in the West Indian side and hope they can change the fortunes.

#7 Sri Lanka

Format Tests: Points: 97 Rank: 6

Format ODIs: Points: 79 Rank: 8

Format T20Is: Points: 87 Rank: 9

Average Points across three formats: 87.66

Average Rank across three formats: 7.66

Sri Lankan cricket is also going through a very tough phase. After the retirements of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka team have struggled to build a good team.

Sri Lankan team were knocked out of Asia Cup in the first round, suffering huge defeats at the hands of Afganistan and Bangladesh. They have lost some series at home and are not a very dominant side at home anymore.

#6 Australia

Format Tests: Points: 102 Rank: 5

Format ODIs: Points: 100 Rank: 6

Format T20Is: Points: 118 Rank: 3

Average Points across three formats: 106.67

Average Rank across three formats: 4.66

Australia is going through a very difficult phase. They have almost a lot ever since the ban on David Warner and Steve Smith. Pakistan defeated them in a 2 match Test series by 1-0. In ODIs, they have lost the last five bilateral ODI series. Because of their dismal performances especially in ODIs, they are not even among the top 5 teams.

Let us look at the top 5 teams.

#5 Pakistan

Pakistan

Format Tests: Points: 95 Rank: 7

Format ODIs: Points: 102 Rank:5

Format T20Is: Points: 138 Rank:1

Average Points across three formats: 111.66

Average Rank across three formats: 4.33

Pakistan has been brilliant in T20 Internationals. They are the number one side in T20 Internationals and are way ahead of the rest. They have 138 points and India on the number 2 has 127 points. They recently whitewashed New Zealand in the T20s in a three-match series.

Since the T20 World Cup in 2016, they have played 11 bilateral T20 series and have won each one of them and many of them have been whitewashes. In ODIs, they have done fairly. They won the Champions Trophy held in England in 2017. But they lost to New Zealand 5-0 in a bilateral series early this year.

They were also not able to reach the finals of the Asia Cup. They did manage to draw the recent ODI series against New Zealand. In Tests, they draw the series against England and managed to defeat Australia by 1-0. But they lost to Sri Lanka 2-0 earlier this year and in the current Test series against New Zealand, they are trailing by 1-0. If they can become consistent in Tests and ODIs they can become a very dangerous side.

They are number 5 on the list.

#4 New Zealand

New Zealand

Format Tests: Points: 102 Rank: 4

Format ODIs: Points: 112 Rank:3

Format T20Is: Points: 112 Rank:5

Average Points across three formats: 108.66

Average Rank across three formats: 4

New Zealand has done pretty well across the formats. In ODIs, they whitewashed Pakistan and West Indies at home but lost to England 3-2. While in Tests they defeated both West Indies and England at home. They have won the first Test match of the three-match series against Pakistan in the recent series.

They drew the ODI series 1-1 against Pakistan but lost the three-match T20 series 3-0. They have not so great run in T20s which is shown by their rank. They have been defeated by South Africa, India and Pakistan in the T20 series last year.

While New Zealand average points across formats are less than Pakistan, their average rank across formats is less than Pakistan which is why New Zealand grabs the number four spot on this list.

#3 South Africa

South Africa

Format Tests: Points: 106 Rank: 2

Format ODIs: Points: 111 Rank: 4

Format T20Is: Points: 111 Rank: 6

Average Points across three formats: 109.33

Average Rank across three formats: 4

South Africa has always has been a great side in a bilateral series and has been one of the best travellers which are shown in their consistent performances across the globe. South Africa defeated Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, India, and Australia at home in Tests but lost the 2 match series 2-0 against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

In ODIs, they defeated Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at home and recently defeat Australia 2-1 in Australia. But, they also lost a 6 match ODI series against India 5-1 at home. In T20s they won the series against Australia, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh but lost to India, England, and Sri Lanka. South has not been a very dominating side in the recent past which is clearly shown by their mixed record.

Their average points are lower than Pakistan but because of better rank across three formats and more average point than New Zealand, they take the number 3 spot.

#2 England

England

Format Tests: Points: 105 Rank: 3

Format ODIs: Points: 126 Rank:1

Format T20Is: Points: 118 Rank:4

Average Points across three formats: 116.33

Average Rank across three formats: 2.66

England has been a brilliant side after the 2015 World Cup. They are a force in the reckoning, especially in ODIs. They have some of the best all-rounders in their test side which has been one of the main reasons for their victories. They recently defeated India at home and now are leading a three-match Test series against Sri Lanka by 2-0 but they lost to Australia in the last Ashes and also lost to New Zealand but were able to draw a series against Pakistan.

In ODIs, England has been relentless. They have scored most 300+ scores after the 2015 World cup. They have 9 out of 10 last bilateral ODI series. The only series which they lost was a match series against Scotland. England is looking a very formidable side going into the World cup and are one of the big favourites to win the title.

In T20s they have had not so much success. They lost the series against India and West Indies but were able to win against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia.

England with average points of 116.33 and the average rank of 2.66 takes the number 2 spot on this list.

#1 India

Indian Team

Format Tests: Points: 116 Rank: 1

Format ODIs: Points: 121 Rank:2

Format T20Is: Points: 127 Rank:2

Average Points across three formats: 121.33

Average Rank across three formats: 1.66

India has been doing pretty well in all three formats. Though they lost the Test series against South Africa early this year by 2-1 and were defeated by England 4-1 in the Tests and 2-1 in the ODIs but other than that they have been victorious. They won the Asia Cup 2018 and after that defeated West Indies at home in all the three formats. They have been almost unbeaten at home for quite some time.

In Tests, they have been unbeatable at home. The last Test series which they lost at home was in 2012-13 against England. In recent years, they have South Africa, New Zealand, England, Australia, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies at home. They even won Tests series in Sri Lanka and West Indies. But they have not been able to win a series in South Africa, England, Australia. In the upcoming series against Australia, they have a great chance to win a Test series in Australia for the first time.

In ODIs they have won 11 bilateral series from 12, the only series which they lost was against England by 2-1.

In T20s India have a quite a similar run as Pakistan and have defeated Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England.

With the highest average points and best average rank, India is the best side currently.