West Indies, Sri Lanka tied

West Indies, Sri Lanka tied
Associated Press / Ricardo Mazalan

West Indies excellent performance against England has seen them draw level with eighth-ranked Sri Lanka on points, two months before the team begins its campaign at the ICC 50 overs World Cup in England.

In the latest ranking released recently, West Indies remained ninth but gained four points to draw level with Sri Lanka on 76.

Their points gain was the best in the tables and came following a 2-2 draw in the recent five-match one-day series against the world number one England.

West Indies lost the first match of the double-header in Barbados by six wickets, despite posting a first-innings record of 360, but hit back in the second game with a 26-run victory.

The third match in Grenada was abandoned due to rain and England then took a decisive lead in the series with a 29-run win, even though West Indies piled up a record 389 in pursuit of 419.

West Indies then crushed England by seven wickets in the final ODI in St. Lucia, after bundling out the visitors for a paltry 113.

The series raised hopes of the regional team chances in the May 30-July 14 World Cup in England after their poor form in recent years.

The West Indies team has not won an ODI series in five years and had to play an ICC qualifier last March in order to reach the World Cup, after their ninth-placed ranking ruled them out from automatic qualification.