The competition for the top spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup rankings has heated up as the Asia Cup reaches its thrilling conclusion in Sri Lanka. Australia’s recent defeat at the hands of South Africa in the third ODI of their series resulted in them losing their number one spot on the ICC ODI Team Rankings. Pakistan are placed joint-first on the table, while India are ranked second in terms of points. Both Pakistan and India now have a chance to secure the top position before the World Cup begins.
3 things you need to know
- India recently defeated Sri Lanka to reach the final of Asia Cup 2023
- India will play either Sri Lanka or Pakistan in the final of the tournament
- India have an outside chance of becoming the new No. 1 ODI side
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How India can become the world No.1 in ODIs?
Pakistan’s hopes of claiming the No.1 ranking largely depend on their final Super Four match against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. To have a shot at the top spot, Babar Azam’s team must win this crucial match, and if they manage to secure a victory against India in the Asia Cup final, they could potentially become the No.1 ranked side before the World Cup. Unfortunately, Pakistan won’t have any more ODI matches between the end of the Asia Cup and the start of the World Cup, except for warm-up games against New Zealand and Australia, which do not count toward their ranking.
Australia currently holds a favorable position to reclaim the No.1 ranking before the World Cup, even though they briefly lost it due to their defeat against South Africa. If Australia wins the remaining two matches in their series against South Africa, they would regain the top spot. Conversely, two losses would open the door for Pakistan and India to take the lead. Australia’s three-match series against India at the end of this month will play a significant role in determining the top-ranked team at the start of the World Cup.
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Australia on the top of ICC ODI rankings
India, on the other hand, has the advantage of playing the most ODI matches among the top three contenders for the No.1 ranking. This could work to their benefit as they look to surpass Australia and Pakistan. Rohit Sharma’s team remains undefeated in this year’s Asia Cup, and if they win the tournament, they could potentially secure the No.1 position, provided Australia and Pakistan face losses in their upcoming matches. Similarly, India’s upcoming three-match series against Pat Cummins’ side will be crucial in determining which team enters the World Cup as the top-ranked team.
Image: AP
