In a historic achievement, Team India secured the coveted No.1 ranking in the One Day International (ODI) format after their impressive victory over Australia. This triumph marked a significant milestone in the world of cricket rankings.
With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 on the horizon, India showcased their prowess and surged to the top of the Men’s ODI Team Rankings. Their remarkable performance in the first ODI against Australia saw them accumulate 116 rating points, allowing them to dethrone arch-rivals Pakistan, who held the top position with 115 points. Australia, on the other hand, remained in the third position but saw their rating points drop to 111, creating a noticeable gap between the top two teams.
This achievement now places India at the pinnacle of cricket excellence across all formats. Notably, India had already claimed the top spot in Test cricket and T20 Internationals prior to their ODI ascendancy.
Advertisement
The journey to this historic moment was punctuated by India’s convincing five-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI. Mohammed Shami’s remarkable five-wicket haul stood out in India’s bowling innings, a decision made by stand-in captain KL Rahul, who chose to field first.
Also Read: List A Records: Lowest Team List A Scores In History
In response, Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad displayed their batting prowess, each scoring a half-century and forming a formidable 142-run opening partnership. Despite losing some quick wickets, fifties from KL Rahul and Surykumar Yadav anchored the team to a well-deserved victory.
Advertisement
The race for the top spot in the ODI Team Rankings had been fiercely competitive in recent times, with India, Pakistan, and Australia vying for supremacy during events like the Asia Cup and Australia’s ODI series against South Africa. Despite Pakistan retaining their No.1 position despite not making it to the Asia Cup Final, both India and Australia had opportunities to claim the top spot but faltered in crucial matches.
Following Australia’s defeat, their chances of reclaiming the No.1 ranking before the World Cup have dwindled. However, Pakistan still retains a slim possibility of regaining the top spot if Australia wins the remaining two matches.
India now stands in a commanding position, with a series win ensuring their status as the top-ranked team as they prepare to host the marquee event on their home turf.
Also Read: ODI World Cup 2023: Winners Will Get USD 4 Million As Prize
This remarkable achievement underscores India’s cricketing dominance, as they now hold the No.1 ranking across all formats. This feat has only been accomplished once before in men’s cricket, with South Africa achieving it in August 2012.
In Test cricket, India has consistently displayed outstanding performance, securing a place in the World Test Championship Final for the second consecutive time in June, though they narrowly missed clinching the title. Their record in bilateral series is nearly flawless, with the sole blemish being a series loss to South Africa in 2021-22.
In T20 Internationals, India reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in 2022. Their performance in bilateral T20I series has been particularly impressive, having lost just one series out of 14 since the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup.
Advertisement