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| Wednesday, 24 December 2003 |
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ICC Champions Trophy : Sri Lanka will play England and Zim by Dinesh Weerwansa Sri Lanka is set to meet hosts England and minnows Zimbabwe in the preliminary round matches of next year's ICC Champions Trophy Mini World Cup tournament in 2004 summer. With Sri Lanka finishing fourth in the ICC World one day international standings by the first week of this month, which is the decider for the seeding, they will have fifth and ninth placed teams in the ICC world one day ratings to form Pool 4 for the Champions trophy. Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be the top ranked teams in pool 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The final official draw with the groupings will be announced by the ICC within the next few days. According to the seedings that would make the draw for the forhcoming mega event, Australia will have No. 8 ranked team and the champions of the ICC Non full member tournament champions in Pool 1. Drawn in pool 2 will be South Africa with the No. 7 and 11 ranked teams. Pakistan is the top ranked team in pool 3 which would also have the No.6 and 10 ranked teams. This would make arch rivals Pakistan and India drawn in the same group, making way for a much looked forward to preliminary round meeting between the two teams. Pool 4 will have No. 4,5 and 9th ranked teams. The 15-match tournament will bring the cream of world's best cricketers, drawn from the ten ICC full member countries and Kenya, along with the champions of the ICC Six Nations Challenge to be held in the United Arab Emirates in March next year. The ICC six nations challenge champion team will play in Pool 1 along with Australia and New Zealand. Sri Lanka, despite winning their recent three-match ODI home series against England 1-0, remained in the fourth place in the latest ICC World one day international tournament rankings. Sri Lanka has gained 107 points to take a close lead over England and neighbours India's, the three teams are separated by a point each. World Champions Australia takes a commanding lead in the latest ICC ODI World ratings with 136 points while South Africa is placed second with 118 points. Following the recent success in one day international cricket, Pakistan has strengthened their grip in the third place with 111 points. In the fourth place is Sri Lanka (107), followed by England (106), India (105), West Indies (101), New Zealand (97), Zimbabwe (68), Kenya (28) and Bangladesh (0). London Oval, Edgbaston and Hampshire's Rosebowl will host 2004 ICC Champions Trophy tournament in England. The 12-nation Champions Trophy, better known as the mini world cup, will be worked off from 10 to 25 September next year, with reserve days scheduled for all matches. Teams will be seeded for the tournament on the basis of their official ICC One-Day International ranking on 1 December 2003. The ICC Champions trophy groupings: (Subject to ICC's final confirmation) Pool 1: Australia, New Zealand, ICC qualifyer Pool 2: South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh Pool 3: Pakistan, India, Kenya Pool 4: Sri Lanka, England, Zimbabwe. |
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