Team India To Become World No 1 Team Across Formats If They Win Asia Cup 2023 With Victory Over Sri Lanka

India can become the World No 1 ODI team with the win over Sri Lanka in the final of Asia Cup 2023. Men in Blue are currently the World No 2 in ODIs.

Indian cricket team. (Source: AP)

Indian cricket team has a golden chance of becoming the World No 1 team across formats. The Men In Blue are currently No 1 Test and T20Is team and are placed at No 2 spot in the ODI rankings. Pakistan are No 3 in the rankings while Australians are number 1. Australia are currently at top of with 3061 points and 118 rating. India have 4516 points and 116 points.

How can India become World No 1 ODI team?

India can become World No 1 side in the world in ODIs if they win the final of Asia Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka. That will make them the World No 1 across the formats. 

Not going to become easy vs SL...

Sri Lanka might be World No 8 in the world but they have not played like one in this tournament so far. The Sri Lankan side have many key players missing like Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera. But they have still managed to raise their game and almost beat India in the Super 4 stage. They came back to actually beat Pakistan in the next match to qualify for the final. 

One final time before the final! _#TeamIndia are geared up for #INDvBAN _#AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/5ydNqDaoW2 — BCCI (@BCCI) September 15, 2023

India must watch out for Lanka's 20-year0old Dinuth Wellalage, who has been nothing sort of excellent in this tournament. In his short ODI career, Wellalage has already got the wickets of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Babar Azam and KL Rahul. Wellalage was the chief architect in bowling out India for just 213. He came out to bat and struck 42 off 46 balls.

Kusal Mendis too has hit form, hitting 91 in the virtual semi-final vs Pakistan, a day before. The fact is that Sri Lankans are playing as one unit. They are attacking as a force and such a team is always a big challenge. India will have to play their best cricket to down them. 

Not to forget, Sri Lanka will be playing the final at home. The last two Super 4 matches Sri Lanka have been part of, has seen the stadium jampacked with the local fans. The reduction of ticket prices has led to many fans taking to stadium and waving the flag. Playing in front of the home crowd, Sri Lanka will take it as an added motivation to do well against the World No 1 Indians. Let's see whether the defending champions are able to defend their title.