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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can
become one of the four top seeds in the Champions Trophy
cricket competition in England next year provided they win one
of the first two matches in the upcoming five-matches One-Day
series against New Zealand.
The first two matches of the
Pakistan v New Zealand series starting in Lahore on Saturday
will determine which of the two sides is seeded along with
Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions
Trophy 2004.
The victory in any of the
first two matches will enable Pakistan to retain their current
No.4 position in the international One-Day standings and hence
a place amongst the top four seeds for the Champions Trophy.
Each of the top four seeds
will head the preliminary pools in the Champions Trophy to be
played in England in September 2004.
Sri Lanka's 1-0 series win
over England last week was enough to ensure that it will be
either third or fourth in the official ODI ratings on December
1, 2003 the date from which groupings for the 12-team
tournament will be taken.
Pakistan, currently having a
rating of 107 as has Sri Lanka, is in pole position to take
the fourth remaining top-seeded spot provided it wins at least
one of the first two matches against New Zealand (103).
The unlikely defeats in both
matches would see Pakistan's rating slump to 104 while New
Zealand would climb to 107--enough to see the sides swap
places by the time the International Cricket Council announces
the line-up. If New Zealand loses both opening matches against
Pakistan, its rating will fall to 100, potentially causing New
Zealand to be grouped with Australia for the second successive
ICC Champions Trophy.
The chances of West Indies
(103) finishing the month as one of the top four ODI sides
were dashed when it lost the second ODI to Zimbabwe in
Bulawayo on Sunday. The result means that even with victories
in the remaining three matches of the series this week, West
Indies can only improve its rating to 104.
If Zimbabwe (66) can win the
last three matches in Harare, it will improve its rating to
75. Australia now is the top One-Day side with a rating of
136, followed by Australia with 118. West Indies' defeat to
Zimbabwe means that England (106) and India (105), both of
which have no further ODI matches before December 1, are
almost certain to avoid the top seeds Australia and South
Africa.
Matches in the ICC Champions
Trophy 2004 will be played at The Oval, Edgbaston and
Hampshire's Rose Bowl in England from September 10 to 25.
Under the formula devised by
ICC, the Pool 1 in the preliminary round will comprise the
No.1, 8 and a qualifier team, the Pool 2 will be made up of
No.2, 7 and 11, the Pool 3 will bring together No.3, 6 and 10
and Pool 4 will have the No.4, 5 and 9 teams.
The following are the
current One-Day seedings of 10 Test-playing countries plus
Kenya:
1 Australia 136
2 South Africa 118
3 Sri Lanka 107
4 Pakistan 107
5 England 106
6 India 105
7 New Zealand 103
8 West Indies 103
9 Zimbabwe 66
10 Kenya 28
11 Bangladesh 0
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