DUBAI: Pakistan’s participation in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy was confirmed by the International Cricket Council in the new rankings released by the governing body here on Wednesday while the once mighty West Indies failed to make the grade for the first ever time.

Pakistan were locked in a three-way battle with Bangladesh and West Indies for the final spot of the Champions Trophy, but edged out the Caribbean side after an ODI series win in Sri Lanka in July.

Azhar Ali’s side are currently in the 8th spot in the ICC rankings just two points above the West Indies who are placed 9th in the ODI team rankings on the Sept 30, 2015, cut-off date for qualification in the eight-nation Champions Trophy.

The eight sides to play in the short 2017 event to be hosted by England are (in rankings order): world champions Australia, title holders India, 1998 winners South Africa, 2000 champions New Zealand, 2002 co-winners Sri Lanka, hosts England, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

In what can be termed as the lowest ebb in island’s cricket history, the West Indies failed to qualify for the Trophy, paving the way for Bangladesh’s entry.

It will be the first time since its inception year in 1998 (when Champions Trophy used to be known as Mini World Cup) that the West Indies will not be a part of a premier event.

West Indies are one of just three teams to have captured all three titles, winning the 50-over World Cup in 1975 and 1979, the Champions Trophy in 2004 and the Twenty20 World Cup in 2012, but have fallen on hard times.

Once the most dominant force in world cricket, West Indies have struggled in recent years, plagued by chaotic mismanagement and rows over player contracts.

Last year, West Indies abandoned their planned tour of India and just two days ago, they suspended coach Phil Simmons after he criticised the selection policy for next month’s tour to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh will return to the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2006.Bangladesh’s last participation in the ICC Champions Trophy was in India, when they featured in the qualifying round. They lost to Sri Lanka (by 37 runs) and the West Indies (by 10 wickets). Their only victory was against Zimbabwe by 101 runs.

The Champions Trophy 2017 will be a 15-match tournament, with teams split into two groups of four, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the semifinals. The groups and the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy will be announced in due course.

With the sides for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 now confirmed, the next important qualification date in the diaries of the 12 teams on the ICC ODI team rankings will be Sept 30, 2017. That is the date when the top eight ranked sides on the ICC ODI team rankings will earn direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup to be hosted by the ECB.

ICC ODI team rankings (as on Sept 30, 2015):

1) Australia 127 points; 2) India 115 3) South Africa 110; 4) New Zealand 109; 5) Sri Lanka 103; 6) England 100; 7) Bangladesh 96; 8) Pakistan 90; 9) West Indies 88; 10) Ireland 49; 11) Zimbabwe 45; 12) Afghanistan 41.

Published in Dawn October 1st, 2015

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