Bangladesh face India in the three-match One-Day Internationals (ODIs) series in Mirpur on Thursday knowing that a series win will give it a boost in the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings as two places in the coveted ICC Champions Trophy 2017 are still up for grabs.

Bangladesh are currently level with the West Indies on 88 points but ranked below the West Indies in eighth position, while Pakistan is one point behind in ninth spot, reports ICC’s official cricket website.

West Indies Chris Gayle (C) celebrates with teammates including Darren Sammy (R) after the dismissal of unseen Zimbabwe’s Craig Ervine during the 2015 Cricket World Cup Pool B match between the West Indies and Zimbabwe at The Manuka Oval in Canberra on February 24, 2015. Photo taken from AFP

If Bangladesh win the series 3-0, then it will move to 96 points while a 2-1 win will see the host rise to 93 points.
Even if Bangladesh loses the series 2-1, it will be enough to put it ahead of the West Indies in seventh place by a fraction of a point.

MS Dhoni’s side, in contrast, can reduce leader Australia’s advantage to 10 points should it sweep the series three-nil.
In this scenario, Bangladesh will slip to ninth position on 96 points.

If India win the series 2-1, it will remain on 117 points, while a 2-1 loss will mean it will join New Zealand on 115 points but will still be ranked above Brendon McCullum’s side, which is currently in the middle of a highly entertaining series with England.

New Zealand hold a 2-1 lead after the first three games. The series concludes in Chester-le-Street on 20 June.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli enters the forthcoming series as the highest-ranked batsman on either side in fourth place in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen.

The Delhi-born right-hander is one of the three India batsmen inside the top 10 alongside Shikhar Dhawan (seventh) and Dhoni (ninth).

Mushfiqur Rahim is Bangladesh’s highest-ranked batsman in 18th position, five points adrift of England’s Jos Buttler, while much will depend on Tamim Iqbal (27th), Shakib Al Hasan (33rd) and Nasir Hossain (42nd) as the hosts bid to create daylight between the West Indies and Pakistan.

In the Reliance ICC Players Rankings for ODI Bowlers, Bangladesh’s Shakib, who hit the 150-cap mark last time out against Pakistan, has seventh-ranked Saeed Ajmal in his sights.

The left-arm spinner will also be aiming to hit the 200-wicket mark during the series as he currently stands on 195.

In eighth place, Shakib Al Hasan is the highest-ranked bowler heading into the series.

Upcoming fixtures of India’s tour of Bangladesh 2015:

Bangladesh v India:
18 Jun – 1st ODI, Mirpur (d/n)

21 Jun – 2nd ODI, Mirpur (d/n)

24 Jun – 3rd ODI, Mirpur (d/n)

Reliance ICC ODI Championship table (as on 16 June, after first three England-New Zealand matches and ahead of Bangladesh-India series):

Rank Team Points
1. Australia 129

2. India 117

3. New Zealand 115

4. South Africa 112

5. Sri Lanka 106

6. England 95

7. West Indies 88

8. Bangladesh 88

9. Pakistan 87

10. Ireland 50

11. Zimbabwe 44

12. Afghanistan 41