Cricket World Cup power rankings: The a-bit-harsh-on-NZ edition

Lockie Ferguson celebrates a South African wicket in New Zealand's four-wicket win. Photo / Getty

Week 3 power rankings: The a-bit-harsh-on-NZ edition

10) Afghanistan (Last week's ranking 10)

Record: 0-5-0
What a train wreck. Nobody expected Afghanistan to be semifinalists but they earned their way into the tournament by playing a lot better cricket than they've managed here. Their batting is naïve, their fielding a shower and Rashid Khan, their ace, looks broken beyond repair

9) Sri Lanka (9)

Record: 1-2-2
You know things are going down the gurgler when your only fight comes from management complaining about green-tops and practice facilities. They might have a point, but they'd be a lot better off spending more time worrying about their woeful performances.

8) West Indies (5)

Record: 1-3-1
The West Indies turned up to the first three World Cups – all in England - looking like they expected to win. And they did win the first two editions and only arrogance prevented them winning a third. This lot turned up to Taunton to play Bangladesh looking like they'd spent three days on raw cider.

7) Pakistan (6)

Record: 1-3-1
Pakistan play South Africa on Sunday. If they lose they're basically gone. In this scenario Imran Khan would have them playing like cornered tigers; Sarfaraz Ahmed, possibly the worst international captain this Rankings has ever seen, will have them playing like frightened kittens.

6) South Africa (7)

Record: 1-4-1
Another seemingly illogical placement but bear with me. South Africa might be an average side – one of their worst in recent history, in fact – but they're better than the sides below them. There is a top-five, bottom-five divide at this tournament and the Proteas are the best of the bottom five.

5) Bangladesh (8)

Record: 2-2-1
They're playing mighty well but to make the semis, they're going to need to knock off either Australia tonight or India in July. Tonight is more realistic. Nottingham will be brim to overflowing with stuffed toys tonight. Should be a cracker.

4) New Zealand (3)

Record: 4-0-1
What the actual…? They win an epic encounter with South Africa and drop a place. Here's Rankings' issue: we know they can win tosses; we know they can bowl and field well; we know they can stumble over the line chasing modest targets. There is still too much we don't know.

3) Australia (4)

Record: 4-1-0
Even though he was a few doors down, batting coach Ricky Ponting reckons he could hear the tap-tap-tap of Steven Smith's shadow batting in his room at 7am. Rankings would suggest you ask for a room on a different floor to Ponting if you wanted a romantic interlude with your significant other.

2) England (2)

Record 4-1-0
When the USA beat Thailand 13-0 in the Fifa Women's World Cup there was an outcry over the way they ran up the score and celebrated. Let's not infer that Eoin Morgan did anything wrong but geez, seeing the Afghans get baked was a hard watch.

1) India (1)

Record: 3-0-1
Dhawan was out (now for good) with a mangled thumb so Rohit Sharma chimed in with a big ton. If it turns they have Kuldeep; if it's pacy they have Bumrah. Kohli and Dhoni are still finding their feet. This appears to be the complete side.