Afghanistan have risen to sixth in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, overtaking Sri Lanka to claim their highest-ever position in the format.

The move pushes Sri Lanka down to seventh. India lead the table, followed by New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Australia, ESPNcricinfo reported on Monday. The Daily Mirror filed its own report the same afternoon.

How Afghanistan got there

The rise follows a strong run in the 50-over format. Afghanistan beat Ireland 4-0 in an away series in August, then went unbeaten in the recently concluded UAE tri-series involving Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

They beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets to take the title in Sharjah, with Rashid Khan named Player of the Series for his 11 wickets. In the same tournament they bowled Bangladesh out for 160 and chased it down in 35.3 overs.

Afghanistan have now won 96 of their 191 ODIs, a win-loss ratio of 1.09, and had already climbed above Bangladesh, England and the West Indies before passing Sri Lanka.

Pakistan fined over the final

Separately, Pakistan have been fined five per cent of their match fees for a slow over-rate in the ODI tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore.

Pakistan were found to be one over short once time allowances were taken into account, the Daily Mirror reported. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi accepted the charge and the proposed sanction, so no formal hearing was required.

Pakistan won that final by three wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium, chasing down 326 with nine balls to spare after Kamindu Mendis made his maiden ODI century.

Three fines, one tournament

This is the third slow over-rate penalty handed down in that single tri-series, and the three are easily confused — each carried a five per cent fine for being one over short. Sri Lanka were penalised twice: once after the opener against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on 18 October, and again after the dead rubber against England in Lahore on 29 October. This third sanction is against Pakistan, for the final.

The two tournaments named in this report are also distinct: Afghanistan’s unbeaten run came in the UAE tri-series with Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, not the Pakistan-hosted tri-series involving Sri Lanka and England.