India head into the Cricket World Cup top of the ICC ODI rankings… but where do holders England sit ahead of their opening game against New Zealand?

India will head into the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 top of the ODI rankings – as they look to win on home soil.

Before the start of the tournament, the side needed at least two wins to go into the competition top of the pile.

The Men in Blue reached the ODI Rankings summit following their first ODI showdown with Australia. They also currently occupy top spot in Tests and T20Is. 

This is only the second time in the history of the sport that a side has achieved the No.1 ranking across the formats. South Africa were the only team to achieve this back in 2012.

They currently sit on 117 points, while Pakistan are close behind with 115. India ensured top spot in the second ODI with Australia. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer both scored centuries to inspire the side to victory.

The Men in Blue needed two wins to secure top spot – with Shubman Gill playing a key role in India’s matches against Australia

With the tournament set to get underway next month in India, the hosts will be full of confidence as they look to pick up their third title – with their last coming in 2011.

Current holders England will enter the tournament ranked No. 5 in the world – with Jos Butler’s side on 105 points.

England won their first-ever Cricket World Cup back in 2019 against New Zealand in the most dramatic match the sport has ever seen. 

Eoin Morgan’s side tied the final with the Kiwis on 241 runs each – and then both astonishingly scored 15 runs in the supposedly tie-breaking super-over.

Fans held their breath as New Zealand’s batsman Martin Guptill dived in a bid to score a winning 16th run but England wicket-keeper Jos Buttler managed to gather the ball and run him out by just inches.

It meant the home side triumphed because they scored more boundaries – sending fans at Lord’s into delirium. 

England will be looking to become the first side since Australia back in 2007 to win back-to-back World Cup’s at this year’s tournament.

The final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 19 November at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

England are the current holders of the competition after they defeated New Zealand in the 2019 final 

Eoin Morgan’s side won the final in the most dramatic fashion – scoring more boundaries following a tie-breaking super-over

The first match is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 5, when England face 2019 runners-up New Zealand.

India will begin their World Cup campaign against No. 3 ranked Australia in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.

With India top of the pile, they will certainly fancy their chances of finishing within the top four and reach yet another Cricket World Cup semi-final as they search their third title on home soil.