Zimbabwe hosts Sri Lanka in a two-Test series starting 29 October in Harare in what could be a chance for the home side to garner some points since the 10th-ranked side trails the sixth-ranked opposition by 87 points and this is weighted to reflect this difference.
Sri Lanka will only gain one point to reach 96 points if it wins the series 2-0 and will remain on 95 points with a 1-0 win. Zimbabwe will lose three points if it loses both matches but will gain two points even if it loses 1-0.
A drawn series will see Sri Lanka drop to 92 points while taking Zimbabwe up to 20 points. Zimbabwe could go up to 30 points if it pulls off a 1-0 win in the series while a 2-0 win will see it reach 35 points.
A loss by any margin for Sri Lanka, which will be without its regular captain and top-ranked batsman Angelo Mathews (joint-15th), will see it slip behind New Zealand to seventh position.
ICC Test Team Rankings (as on 25 October, after the first Bangladesh-England Test and the second Pakistan-West Indies Test)
Rank Team Points
- India 115
- Pakistan 111
- Australia 108
- England 108
- South Africa 96
- Sri Lanka 95
- New Zealand 91
- West Indies 67
- Bangladesh 57
- Zimbabwe 8
