A Weighted Points System for Cricket World Cup 2023
The 2023 Cricket World Cup is in full swing, and like many fans, I wanted to keep track of the points table.
But, it occurred to me that the traditional points system doesn’t really take into account the strength or ranking of the competition. To address this, I’ve come up with an updated points table for the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023.
This table includes not only the traditional “Regular Points” but also a new column for “Weighted Points”, offering a nuanced look into which teams are beating stronger competitors, not just accumulating points by defeating weaker teams.
Cricket World Cup 2023 Weighted Points Table
As of October 11, 2023
| Team | Rank** | Rank Weight | Matches Played | Regular Points | Weighted Points đź”˝ | Upcoming Matches | Weighted Calculation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IND | 1 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 20 | PAK, BAN, NZ, ENG, SLN, SA, NED | AUS (2 x 8), AFG (2 x 2) |
| NZ | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 12 | BAN, AFG, IND, AUS, SA, PAK, SLN | ENG (2 x 5), NED (2 x 1) |
| PAK | 2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 8 | IND, AUS, AFG, SA, BAN, NZ, ENG | NED (2 x 1), SLN (2 x 3) |
| ENG | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 | AFG, SA, SLN, IND, AUS, NED, PAK | BAN (2 x 4) |
| SA | 4 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 6 | AUS, NED, ENG, BAN, PAK, NZ, IND, AFG | SLN (2 x 3) |
| BAN | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | NZ, IND, SA, NED, PAK, SLN, AUS | AFG (2 x 2) |
| AUS | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | SA, SLN, PAK, NED, NZ, ENG, AFG, BAN | |
| SLN | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | AUS, NED, ENG, AFG, IND, BAN, NZ | |
| AFG | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ENG, NZ, PAK, SLN, NED, AUS, SA | |
| NED | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | SA, SLN, AUS, BAN, AFG, ENG, IND |
** ICC ODI Team Rankings (as of Oct 8, 2023): Source ICC
The Problem with Simple Points Systems
In traditional sports rankings, a simple points system is usually employed. Each win earns a team a fixed number of points, and each loss earns zero. While straightforward, this approach doesn’t provide a complete picture. It tells us who won more games, but it doesn’t tell us anything about the quality of those wins. In other words, beating a top-ranked team is considered the same as beating a team at the bottom of the table. But should it be?
Introducing the Weighted Points System
This is where the weighted points system comes in. In this system, teams earn more points for beating higher-ranked teams. The number of weighted points is calculated as 2 Ă— Rank of the losing team.
A Real-World Example
Let’s take an example from the current world cup. India, the top-ranked team, defeated Australia, the third-ranked team. In the simple points system, this win would net India just 2 points—the same as any other win. But under the weighted points system, this win is worth 2Ă—8=16 points, recognizing the quality of the competition.
On the other hand, Pakistan has also accumulated 4 points in the simple points system but by defeating two lower-ranked teams: Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Their weighted points are 8, which is significantly less than India’s 20, reflecting the strength of the teams they defeated.
The Benefit: Unveiling the True Competitors
The simple points system might be easy to follow, but it can mask the true performance of a team. A weighted system, on the other hand, gives us a fuller, more nuanced view. It’s not just about how many matches a team wins; it’s also about who they beat to get there.
Keeping It Updated
As the World Cup progresses, I’ll keep updating this weighted points system. By the end, we’ll have a clearer picture of each team’s journey—whom they defeated and the strength of their competition.