England have slipped to the eighth position in the latest ICC ODI team rankings. According to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) most recent annual rankings update, England are now ranked below Afghanistan with 84 rating points. This puts them at risk of missing out on direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027.
The next ODI World Cup is scheduled for 2027, with South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia set to host the tournament. A total of 14 teams will compete in the ICC event. Among the hosts, South Africa and Zimbabwe have secured direct qualification as co-hosts, while Namibia has not, as direct entry is reserved for ICC full-time members only.
Importantly, the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings will earn direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. These eight teams will be confirmed on the cut-off date of March 31, 2027. With England currently occupying the eighth spot, they are now in danger of missing direct qualification for the ICC tournament for the first time in history.
England is set to face West Indies in an upcoming ODI series.
West Indies, currently ranked ninth with 83 rating points just one point behind England will compete against the English side in a three-match ODI series starting on May 29 in the United Kingdom. If England loses this series, West Indies will surpass them in the ICC ODI rankings.
In the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, West Indies did not directly qualify for the tournament. They also failed to clear the qualifying round, resulting in their absence from the World Cup for the first time in history.
England faces a similar challenge ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. If they perform poorly, they may also have to play in the qualifiers to secure a place in the tournament. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, England struggled significantly, winning only three of their nine matches, including unexpected losses to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
Harry Brook has been appointed as the new captain of England’s ODI and T20I teams, replacing Jos Buttler. This decision was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after Buttler stepped down following England’s disappointing performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they failed to win a single game in the group stage.
