Lack of international matches and two recent losses to Thailand have hit India [ Images ] hard. Bob Houghton's side plunged 22 places and now occupy the 160th spot in the latest FIFA [ Images ] rankings.

India lost 47 points since last month's rankings.

It is now only two places above western neighbours Pakistan (162) and below all other South Asian countries -- Maldives [ Images ] (143), Bangladesh (145), Sri Lanka [ Images ] (148) and Nepal (156).

India, who were 24th among Asian nations last month, now occupy 33rd place.

The latest ranking is just five places better than India's all-time lowest -- 165th in March 2007.

But Houghton, who was at the helm then, on the basis of India's Nehru Cup triumph, soon saw the team move up the rankings.

Australia [ Images ] leads the Asian pack at 24th, followed by Japan [ Images ] (30) and South Korea (44).

In the overall list, World champions Spain continue their reign at the top, followed by the Netherlands, Germany [ Images ], Brazil [ Images ], Argentina, England [ Images ], Uruguay, Portugal, Egypt [ Images ] and Chile.