Bangladesh, already assured of the series win with a 3-0 lead, will go into the fifth and final one-day international match against New Zealand on Sunday with the prospect moving to the eighth position in the one-day rankings of the International Cricket Council.
The Tigers, currently ninth in the ladder, began the series with 53 rating points and three wins in the first four matches pushed up their tally to 64, the ICC said on Friday.
They are now only three points shy of West Indies, who have held the eighth position for many days. Another win in the fifth match will add three points to the Tigers’ tally making them level with the Caribbeans.
Its means the final match has no longer remained as a formality for Bangladesh, who are now basking in the glory after confirming their first series victory against serious opponents with Thursday’s nine-run win.
The eighth place in the ranking is just not a number but also crucial for Bangladesh to regain their entry into the cash-rich ICC Champions Trophy.
Only top eight teams now get the chance to play in the lucrative tournament, regarded as the second best one-day competition after the World Cup. Bangladesh played in the competition last in England in 2005.
The ICC recently decided that from 2015 only top 10 teams will get the chance to play in the World Cup, which gave the one-day ranking an added significance.
The wins in the first three matches also took Bangladesh to a safe distance from number 10th team Ireland, who have only 39 points to their credit.
The series also took its toll on New Zealand, who began the series with a chance to move into fourth position, but now facing the bleak prospect of going down to the seventh position
A Bangladesh win over on Sunday will put the Kiwis behind Pakistan to the seventh, only ahead of West Indies and Bangladesh among the current Test playing nations.
