A clean sweep of Sri Lanka will perch India to top

DUBAI: There's a lot at stake in India's one-day series against Sri Lanka beginning July 21 as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men have the chance to regain the number one spot if they clean-sweeps the five-match rubber.

India, who are at fourth spot in the Reliance ICC ODI rankings, last held the number one position briefly in September 2009 but if it achieves a clean sweep against Sri Lanka, Dhoni's side will unseat current table-toppers Australia.

The series, which starts in Hambantota on July 21, brings together the finalists in the World Cup 2011, held in Mumbai in April last year. India won that match by six wickets to lift the trophy for the first time in 28 years.

After years of domination by Australia, the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings table is now extremely tight after Michael Clarke's team suffered a 4-0 defeat in England recently.

Only two rating points separate the top four teams with South Africa and England sandwiched between Australia and fourth placed India.

Sri Lanka-India series again utilizes the three grounds which are a legacy of the World Cup 2011. The first two ODIs are in Hambantota, followed by two at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with the final match in Pallekele on August 4.

At the conclusion of the series, the ICC will publish the annual update of the table which will discard the results of ODIs played prior to August 2010.

Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings: 1. Australia (119); 2. South Africa (118); 3. England (118); 4. India (117); 5. Sri Lanka (112); 6. Pakistan (103); 7. West Indies (87); 8. New Zealand (83); 9. Bangladesh (67); 10. Zimbabwe (46); 11. Ireland (36); 12. Netherlands (15); 13. Kenya (8).

Malinga Toe Crushers :)

ICC T20 World Cup Event Ambassador Malinga

he International Cricket Council has chosen Sri Lanka's star pacer Lasith Malinga as the official event ambassador for the World T20

ICC picks Malinga to promote World T20

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Friday named Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga as the event ambassador for the World Twenty20 to be held in the island nation later this year.

The explosive fast bowler with the sling-arm action is expected to play a key role in Sri Lanka’s fortunes in the 12-nation event starting on September 18.

Malinga will be the “face” of the World Twenty20 advertising campaign in the host nation and will promote the event globally, the ICC said in a statement.

“His distinct, stylish and colourful personality is synonymous with the intensity of Twenty20 cricket,” the governing body added.

Malinga, 28, who gave up Test cricket last year to prolong his limited-overs career, said he was “honoured” to play a part in the first World Twenty20 to be hosted by an Asian nation.

“I sincerely thank the ICC for giving Sri Lanka the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude and I invite all cricket fans to show their support and unite in the spirit of the game,” he said.

Malinga is the only bowler to have taken four wickets off successive deliveries in international cricket, achieving the feat against South Africa in the 2007 50-over World Cup in the Caribbean.
He is also the only bowler to have claimed three one-day international hat-tricks.
Malinga has taken 101 wickets in 30 Tests, 186 wickets in 118 one-dayers and 40 wickets in 32 Twenty20 internationals.
England will defend the title at the fourth edition of the World Twenty20, having won the 2010 event in the Caribbean. India (2007) and Pakistan (2009) won the first two editions.