India's No 2 position in the ICC ODI team rankings on the line against South Africa

India’s No 2 position in the ICC ODI team rankings on the line against South Africa: India will defend their No. 2 position in the ICC ODI team rankings when they take on 3rd ranked South African team in the 5-match One day International series which starts at Kanpur on Sunday. India lead South Africa by 5 points in the ICC ODI team rankings and needs to win 2 matches to avoid slipping behind South Africa. A 4-1 result in favor of South Africa will put them on 113 points with India dropping to the 3^rd place with 112 points.

A 3-2 win for the tourists will mean India will retain its 2nd spot on 114 points and South Africa will get the consolation of reducing the gap with the hosts from five to two.

While on the other hand a 5-0 win for India would see them advance to 119 points and narrows Australia’s lead at the top to eight points. In this case South Africa will slip to 4th behind New Zealand, who is at the 4th place now with 107 points in its credit.

The following are series permutations and its effect:

– If India wins 5-0 then, India will have 119 points and South Africa 107 points.

– If India wins the series 4-1 then, India 117 points and South Africa 108 points.

– If India wins 3-2 then India will have 116 points, and South Africa will be reduced to 110 points.

– If South Africa wins the ODI series 5-0, then India will be shrinked to 110 points, and South Africa will have 115 points.

– If South Africa wins 4-1 then India 112 points, and South Africa 113 points.

– If South Africa manages to win the series 3-2, then India will be at 114 points, and South Africa will have 112 points.

– If series is drawn at 2-2 then India will end-up with 115 points, and South Africa will have 111 points.