With the Cricket World Cup 2023 set to commence on October 5 in Ahmedabad, India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) one-day international (ODI) rankings have set up a compelling scenario for arch-rivals Pakistan and India.
As it stands, India currently tops the ICC ODI rankings with a rating of 117, while Pakistan closely trails in the second spot with a rating of 115. India’s performance in the 50-over format has been impressive, with only four losses in their last 20 ODI matches, establishing them as the top-ranked side entering the World Cup.
The Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, recently secured victory in the Asia Cup 2023 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Their dominant performance saw Sri Lanka being bowled out for just 50 runs, primarily due to Mohammad Siraj’s remarkable spell, in which he took six wickets.
On the other hand, Pakistan briefly held the number one ODI ranking during their home series against New Zealand in May. However, following a disappointing performance in the Asia Cup, they dropped to the second spot. The margin between the two arch-rivals in the rankings is minimal, with Pakistan just two ratings points behind India.
An intriguing historical trend in the ICC Cricket World Cup is that since 1999, the tournament has been won by the top two sides in the ICC ODI rankings. This pattern began with Australia’s victory in 1999, when they were ranked second. Australia continued to hold the top position during their subsequent World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007. In 2011, when India secured their second World Cup title, they were ranked second. Australia, in 2015, and England, in 2019, were both ranked number one when they won the tournament.
Another noteworthy trend is that since 2011, the World Cup has been won by the host country. India in 2011, Australia in 2015, and England in 2019 all triumphed on their home soil in the final.
While India, as the top-ranked team, is the favorite to win the World Cup, other strong contenders like England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan have maintained excellent form and high-level performance. The tournament promises to be competitive and exciting, with the direction of this mega event yet to be determined.
