England Retained No.1 Test Ranking

Colombo: England retained the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings after their eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka resulted in the two-match series ending in a 1-1 draw today.

"England will start its domestic international season next month as the number-one ranked Test side in the Reliance ICC Test Championship after retaining the top spot following its eight wickets victory over Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test as the two-Test series ended in a one-all draw on Saturday," the ICC said in a statement.

England had entered the two-Test series against Sri Lanka leading closest rival South Africa by two ratings points. And though they conceded two ratings points to join South Africa on 116 ratings points, England have been rated above the Proteas when the ratings were calculated beyond the decimal point.

Had England lost the Colombo Test, they would have slipped behind South Africa in second position and may even have been pushed into third place if Australia had defeated the West Indies in all the three Tests of the ongoing series.

This is the second time in less than a month that England's number-one status has been at risk.

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West Indies vs England - 3rd T20I South Africa vs India - 4th T20I 2nd T20I - Australia v Pakistan - November 16, 08:00 GMT 4th T20I - West Indies v England - November 16, 20:00 GMT 1st T20I - Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane Australia won by 29 runs 3rd T20I - South Africa v India at Centurion India won by 11 runs

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