Australia can do ICC World Twenty champion a favour

Australia has the opportunity to do the ICC World Twenty20 2012 champion West Indies a huge favour when it plays Sri Lanka in a two-match Twenty20 International Series from 26 January in Sydney.

Sri Lanka, the losing finalist of the ICC World Twenty20 2012, is currently ranked number-one on the ICC T20I Championship Table with 127 ratings points and leads second-placed West Indies by five ratings points.

However, if seventh-ranked Australia wins both its games against Sri Lanka, then Angelo Mathews’ side will drop down to fourth place on 117 ratings points, putting West Indies at the top of the table. A 2-0 series win for George Bailey’s side would see it gain eight ratings points to join sixth-ranked Pakistan on 116 ratings points but below Mohammad Hafeez’s side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Australia next plays West Indies in a one-off Twenty20 International on 13 February at Brisbane. A positive result for Australia against Sri Lanka could help West Indies strengthen its claim for the number-one rank in the one-off match.

As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, even one win in the two-match series will be enough for it to retain the number-one rank. Nevertheless, it would result in dropping at least two ratings points.

In the event of Sri Lanka winning the series 2-0 against Australia, it would strengthen its hold at the number-one position with 131 ratings points, nine ahead of the West Indies.