Eighth-ranked Pakistan have extended advantage over ninth-ranked West Indies in the new ICC ODI team rankings annual update released May 1.

The lead takes the Green Shirts closer to direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, since England plus the next seven highest-ranked sides as on 30 September 2017 will qualify automatically for the Cup.

Both Pakistan and West Indies have lost points following the update – Pakistan slipped from 90 points to 88 points and the West Indies slid from 83 points to 79 points. However, Pakistan’s pre-update seven-point gap has extended to nine points.

South Africa have retained the number one spot in the rankings, followed by Australia at number two.

Source: ICC

The annual update is released to ensure the table continues to reflect teams’ recent form with older results being discarded. The table now reflects all matches from May 1, 2014, with matches played from May 1, 2016 carrying 100 percent weighting.

In the lead up to the September 30, 2017 cut-off date, Bangladesh are scheduled to play a tri-series in Ireland, which also features New Zealand. The West Indies will host Afghanistan in a three-ODI series in June, before travelling to England where they will play five ODIs in September.

Pakistan’s only assignment before the cut-off is the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts June 1, 2017 in England.