(Image Source: PTI)
[Saba Sports News] Team India missed a golden opportunity to claim the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings, as they suffered a surprising defeat to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Super Four match. This loss created an opening for Pakistan to potentially regain the top spot, regardless of India’s result in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka.
Before the match against Bangladesh, India was ranked second in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, just behind Australia. They had a chance to ascend to the top spot if they defeated Bangladesh and Australia lost to South Africa in their fourth ODI. While South Africa did manage to beat Australia by 164 runs, India’s loss to Bangladesh pushed them down to the third position in the rankings.
Even with a victory in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, India cannot claim the No. 1 ODI ranking, as their maximum attainable rating would be 115, keeping them behind Pakistan.
Pakistan, who lost their No. 1 ranking due to defeats against India and Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, can potentially regain the top spot if South Africa defeats Australia in the final match of their five-match ODI series. In that scenario, Australia would drop to third place if India wins the Asia Cup or second place if India loses to Sri Lanka in the final.
The battle for the top spot will continue in September, as India is set to face five-time ODI World Cup winners Australia in a three-match series at home starting on September 22. This series will play a pivotal role in determining the top-ranked team heading into the ODI World Cup.