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The India national cricket team is just one match away from losing its No. 1 spot in the ICC men’s T20I team rankings. After a poor performance in recent weeks, the Men in Blue now have everything to play for in the fifth and final T20I against England in Southampton on July 11.
The final T20I in Southampton has become more important than the end of the series for both the India national cricket team and the England national cricket team. If the Men in Blue lose the final T20 match, England will replace them as the world’s top-ranked team in the format.
India’s No. 1 T20I ranking is in serious danger
England have already clinched the five-match T20 series by winning three consecutive matches after the first match against India was washed out, but a win in the fifth and final T20 match will also help them reach the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings. This will end India’s long stay at the top.
India have been the world No. 1 T20I team for an incredible 1,605 days. He has remained at the top position continuously since February 2022. But now, that impressive display is in serious danger. His recent performance has hurt his position considerably.
The team suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat in the T20 series against Ireland and then lost the ongoing five-match T20 series against England. These consecutive series defeats have brought India very close to losing the No. 1 ranking. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir is safe despite India’s series defeats against Ireland, England.
England one win away from snatching India’s ICC No. 1 ranking
Before the Southampton encounter, the Indian cricket team was still on top of the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings with 269 rating points. But England are just behind India with 267 rating points, making the race for the number 1 spot very close.
Australia are currently placed third in the ICC T20I rankings with 260 rating points, while New Zealand are placed fourth with 247 rating points, followed by South Africa at fifth with 244 points. The equation is now simple.
If England wins the fifth T20 match, it will overtake India and become the new number 1 T20 team in the world. This will also end India’s record of staying at the top of the rankings for 1,605 days. Now, the Men in Blue will be hoping to end their losing streak and save their status as the world’s top-ranked T20I team.
India headed for clean sweep as Shreyas Iyer looks for first win as captain
India will be playing only for pride when it takes on England in the fifth and final T20 match of the series. England has already won the series and India will now try to avoid a clean sweep. It has been a really tough tour for captain Shreyas Iyer, who is still looking for his first win as India captain after losing the T20 series in Ireland and now against England.
India’s top-order batsmen have struggled badly against the pace of Joffra Archer and Josh Tongue. Young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi also had a forgettable debut, scoring only 14, 13 and 15 runs in his first three T20 innings against England in the ongoing series.
