India’s thumping victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final on Sunday was not enough for them to claim the numero uno position in the latest ICC ODI rankings.
India’s arch-rivals Pakistan, who made the exit from the tournament following their loss to Sri Lanka in the Super Four match, hold onto the number one spot. Even though both India and Pakistan are tied with 115 points each.
Despite a record-breaking victory against Sri Lanka, sealed in just over 6.1 overs, India’s chances of climbing to the top of the rankings were jolted by their loss to Bangladesh ahead of the final.
However, the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia presents India a chance to claim the top spot if they go on to win the series at home starting September 22.
In fact, a win in the first ODI will see India upstage Pakistan to become the No.1 ranked team across all three formats of the game.
Rohit Sharma’s team is riding high after their impressive Asia Cup triumph, and they have the opportunity to claim the No.1 ranking as early as next Friday by defeating Australia in the first ODI in Mohali.
The upcoming three-match series against Pat Cummins’ side could prove decisive in determining which team enters the World Cup as the top-ranked squad.
If India manage to avoid a clean sweep but still lose the series to Australia, Pakistan will retain their position as the top-ranked team for the World Cup.
On the other hand, a 3-0 defeat to Australia will result in India slipping to the third position, with Australia taking over the No.1 spot.
