England toppled Pakistan from second spot in the LG-ICC Test rankings after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series to make sure the Ashes remains a battle of the top two teams.
England beat Pakistan by 167 runs at Headingley on Tuesday to clinch the series. But the gap between England and toppers Australia ahead of their series, beginning in Brisbane in November, is still to be decided.
It could be as few as 11 rating points if England beat Pakistan again at The Oval in the fourth Test, starting on August 17, and claim a 3-0 victory.
Whatever is the result, the positions of the top four teams will remain unchanged, other than a few points difference between them, according to an ICC statement.
England's series win is its first since it beat Australia 2-1 last year to reclaim the Ashes while, for Pakistan, it is its first loss in a series since it lost all three Tests against Ricky Ponting's side in 2004/05.
Meanwhile, India are sitting pretty at fourth place and Sri Lanka consolidated its position in fifth spot with a nerve-jangling one-wicket win over South Africa that secured a 2-0 series win over the Proteas.
Sri Lanka is now eight points behind India while South Africa, in sixth spot, has lost four rating points and is now just two points ahead of New Zealand.
Rank Team Rating
1. Australia 130
2. England 119
3. Pakistan 112
4. India 111
If the Test at The Oval is drawn, it will look like this:
1. Australia 130
2. England 117
3. Pakistan 114
4. India 111
And if Pakistan wins the fourth Test to reduce its margin of defeat in the series to 2-1, the top four places will be:
1. Australia 130
2. England 116
3. Pakistan 115
4. India 111
