Bangladesh Jump to 9th in ICC ODI Rankings After Dramatic Series-Leveling Win Over Sri Lanka

After losing the first ODI by 77 runs, Bangladesh made a strong comeback in the second match against Sri Lanka. They secured a thrilling 16-run victory under the captaincy of Mehidy Hasan Miraz at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday night.

This win not only leveled the three-match ODI series 1-1 but also brought good news for Bangladesh in the ICC rankings.

Before the series started, Bangladesh was in 10th place in the ICC ODI rankings with 76 rating points. After the win in the second ODI, the ICC updated the points, and Bangladesh moved to 9th place with 78 rating points.

Sticking together and a great bowling performance from Tanvir Islam, who took five wickets and was named Player of the Match, helped Bangladesh win in Colombo. Sri Lanka fought hard while chasing Bangladesh’s small total of 248, especially with a late partnership between Janith Liyanage and Dushmantha Chameera.

At one point, it looked like the match was slipping away, but Bangladesh’s death-over bowlers, led by Mustafizur Rahman and Tanvir Islam, kept calm. The Tigers managed to secure a 16-run win and level the three-match series 1–1.

On the same day, West Indies dropped to 10th place with 77 points, and Sri Lanka slipped from 4th to 5th place with 102 points. Pakistan moved up to 4th place with 104 rating points, taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s loss.

There have been many changes in the top 10 of the ICC ODI rankings. India stays at the top with 124 points, followed by New Zealand and Australia, both with 109 points. South Africa, Afghanistan, and England are in 6th, 7th, and 8th places, respectively.

These rankings are important because the top eight teams by March 31, 2027, will qualify directly for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Teams finishing outside the top eight will have to play in a qualifying tournament for the remaining four spots.

The final and deciding ODI between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be played in Pallekele the day after tomorrow.

Earlier in May, Bangladesh had fallen to 10th place in the rankings for the first time in nearly 18 years, after a series of poor performances in the 50-over format. Their losing streak started in November last year with a loss to Afghanistan in the last ODI of a three-match series in Sharjah.

A win in the final match would be historic for Bangladesh, as it would be their first-ever ODI series win on Sri Lankan soil. In 2017, the two teams drew the ODI series 1-1 in Sri Lanka. In their last ODI series in 2024, Bangladesh won 2-1 at home.

Brief Score:

Bangladesh: 248 in 45.5 overs (Emon 67, Hridoy 51, Asitha 4-35, Hasaranga 3-60)  

Sri Lanka: 232 in 48.5 overs (Liyanage 78, Kusal Mendis 56, Tanvir 5-39) 

Result: Bangladesh won by 16 runs.