With a 4-0 lead in the series that has one game left, the hosts now have 113 rating points, putting them ahead of India and Australia by decimal points. Before the start of the series, Pakistan were ranked fifth with 106 rating points in the ODI rankings.
Babar Azam and his men have been in top form throughout the series, chasing down the targets in the first two ODIs and winning the third ODI by 26 runs to move up to the third position in the points table, ahead of England and New Zealand. In the fourth ODI, Azam scored his 18th century in the format, and with contributions from other players, Pakistan posted a formidable total of 334.
The hosts returned to restrict the Blackcaps on just 232 (43.4 overs) and won the match by a heavy margin of 102 runs.
To retain their No.1 ranking at the end of the series, Pakistan will have to make it a clean sweep by winning the fifth and final ODI on Sunday, May 7. If they lose the final ODI, they will slip back to No.3, and Australia will reclaim their top spot. However, regardless of the outcome of the final game, New Zealand will remain at the fifth position.
Pakistan will also remain at the top if the fifth match is abandoned or yields a no-result.
The series has also provided an opportunity for Pakistan to fine-tune their strategy and build momentum ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place in October and November 2022 in India. The team’s performance in the tournament will be closely watched, and their recent success in the ODI rankings has added to their confidence and motivation.
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