More than half the teams weren’t in action since our last rankings, but just that means we will be relying on the overall vibes a lot more. And a pair of tri-series gave us enough action to shake up the lower half of the rankings. Like the last time, we’ve only ranked the top ten teams, as the remaining four spots at the event will be decided through qualifying tournaments.

#1 South Africa (=)

If we are going to rate teams that weren’t in action on the vibes, then the vibes for the Proteas are immaculate. A brilliant, come-from-behind series win against Australia has their fans floating. And while it obviously came in another format, it represented another giant step under the now iconic leadership of Temba Bavuma. South African always have a genuine chance of winning the World Cup, but under Bavuma they can dare to aim for something higher - making the sport truly popular back home.

#2 India (=)

India here, and New Zealand below them, will end up moving around these rankings once their five-match series concludes. At the time of publication, only the first game had taken place where India had an encouraging win - playing a trio of pacers on the fringes of selection who together out-bowled the opposing attack. Hardik Pandya’s injury had raised concerns over India’s bowling in our previous edition, but this series offers a look at their bench strength.

#3 New Zealand (=)

When the Kiwis beat India at Rajkot earlier this year amidst a historic tour, they ended a remarkable run. It was their first win after eight consecutive defeats to India, including four matches at ICC events. They had won the next match to wrap up that series, but have now started ominously in the first ODI of this one, bounced out by India’s backups. Of course, there is a lot that can change by the time of the tournament, but they’ll need to start beating the likes of India to lift some silverware.

#4 Australia (=)

If South Africa’s vibes are great, then Australia’s are pretty sh*t. After losing the ODI series that left them at this position last time, the loss in the Test series as well to South Africa didn’t help. But what made the vibes stink were blunders like bowling first after winning the toss, refusing to drop Marnus Labuschagne or figure out their batting, and worst of all, repeatedly losing sight of the jugular when they had South Africa at their mercy. But a return to Perth to face off against the old enemy should allow a chance for a vibe reset.

#5 Afghanistan (+3)

Afghanistan absolutely bossed their tri-series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the UAE. Two of the games had almost the exact scores and game script as their bowlers destroyed the batting to set up a simple chase, while the one time they batted first they won by over 150 runs. The conditions in the UAE, and Afghanistan’s comfort with them, definitely won’t be replicated at the World Cup. But the confidence boost of a title win and the team’s highest-ever mark in the ICC (and Wisden Power) Rankings can’t be underestimated.

#6 Pakistan (+3)

Pakistan cricket remains as uneven as a memorable Nicholas Cage performance. Like Afghanistan, they used a tri-series title to jump up three spots on this list. Unlike Afghanistan, they were rarely dominant on the way to that win, with their mediocre batting repeatedly needing individual heroics to rescue them from certain losses. A glass half-empty take would be to dismiss even this title as a mirage before an inevitable bottling at the World Cup. But right now a string of memorable wins leading to a trophy means that the glass is more than half-full with great vibes.

#7 England (-2)

A competitive bunch of losses away from home, in conditions quite dissimilar from those at the World Cup with their best bowler missing, shouldn’t be too much of an issue in general. But to be at the losing end of not one, but two content-generating, algorithm-reshuffling losses in the same week can definitely have you tumbling down these vibes-driven rankings. Fortunately for Harry Brook’s side, they only have to travel much further out to play a wounded Australia next.

#8 Sri Lanka (-1)

Even though Sri Lanka made the final of the tri-series, the tournament still left questions over their bowling as they lost at least once to both opponents. Still their performance was a vibe reset after a trying white-ball trip to England in the summer. They had one big win against the hosts Pakistan, one valiant chase against England and one successful one that was the most audacious thing on a cricket field this year.

#9 Bangladesh (-3)

Coming off three consecutive ODI series against Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia from earlier this year, we had chosen to ignore their most recent series loss away to Zimbabwe in ranking them sixth last time. A big reason was also the massive success of their pace attack, a huge factor in a World Cup to be held in South Africa. But that Zimbabwe series and the UAE tri-series after it were a reminder of Bangladesh’s batting struggles as they picked up five losses in six. Their series away to South Africa in December should give a much better picture of where they stand.

#10 Zimbabwe (=)

After an excruciating one-wicket loss to the Aussies in September at home, Zimbabwe smashed Bangladesh in their next game at the UAE tri-series to reach the final. Two comprehensive losses to Afghanistan followed to temper the excitement, but they won’t mind too much. It was only their first set of matches outside Zimbabwe in almost three years, as well as valuable game time for a team that doesn’t get much of it.