The grand stage of international cricket is all set for action as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is about to commence. India will be the vibrant host nation for this prestigious tournament, with matches scheduled to thrill fans from October 5th to November 19th. This year’s installment marks the 13th edition of the One Day International (ODI) World Cup, a storied competition that first graced the cricketing world back in 1975. And what a way to begin! The opening match is a sensational rematch of the 2019 final, pitting England against New Zealand, and it’s all happening at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India, who shared the hosting duties of the 2011 World Cup with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, has stepped into the limelight as the sole host of the 2023 edition. The cricketing extravaganza will witness the participation of ten formidable teams, engaging in a riveting total of 48 matches spread across ten prestigious venues. As the tournament progresses, anticipation will peak with the semi-finals set to ignite the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. And for the grand finale, all eyes will be on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
In this high-stakes competition, the spotlight shines brightly on the host nation, India, alongside the defending champions, England, and cricket juggernauts Australia, as they emerge as the frontrunners in the race to clinch the coveted trophy.
Here’s an in-depth overview of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
WHICH 10 TEAMS ARE TAKING PART IN THE 2023 WORLD CUP?
The 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will feature ten prominent cricketing nations. These ten teams include:
India, England, Australia New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, & Netherlands.
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE TOURNAMENT?
During the league stage, every team will have the opportunity to compete against the other nine teams once, following a round-robin format. Once all teams have completed nine matches each, the four best-performing teams will secure their spots in the semi-finals.
WHICH ARE THE VENUES FOR THE WORLD CUP 2023?
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be played across ten distinct venues, each with its own unique charm and cricketing history. Here is the list of the chosen stadiums:
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, Dharamsala
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- MCA International Stadium, Pune
- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
These venues are set to witness some thrilling cricket action during the tournament.
FULL SQUAD LIST OF ALL 10 TEAMS
India squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
England squad
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
New Zealand squad
Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.
Australia squad
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
South Africa squad
Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
Sri Lanka squad
Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha
Afghanistan squad
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.
Bangladesh squad
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Netherlands squad
Scott Edwards (c), Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.
WHICH COMMENTATORS WILL BE COVERING THE WORLD CUP 2023?
Eoin Morgan, Matthew Hayden, Nasser Hussain, Imran Tahir, Harsha Bhogle, Mithali Raj, Waqar Younis, Shaun Pollock, Kevin Pietersen, Dale Steyn, Anjum Chopra, Shane Watson, Simon Doull, Ricky Ponting, Mohammed Kaif, Sanjay Manjrekar, Faf du Plessis, Aaron Finch, Michael Atherton, Mark Nicholas, Dirk Nannes, Deep Dasgupta, Shane Bond, Ian Bishop, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, and Ramiz Raja. They will be providing English commentary for the tournament.
WHAT IS THE PRIZE MONEY FOR ICC WORLD CUP 2023?
The ICC 2023 World Cup offers substantial cash rewards to the teams that excel in the competition. Here’s a breakdown of the prize money: The champion of the tournament will claim a hefty prize of US$4 million.
The runners-up, although falling just short of the title, will still be rewarded handsomely with US$2 million. Teams that reach the semi-finals but don’t advance to the final will receive a respectable prize of $800,000 each. Even in the group stage, every victory counts, with a reward of US$40,000 going to the winning team in each match. Teams that don’t make it to the semi-finals but compete in the group stage will still take home a consolation prize of US$100,000 each. In total, the prize pool for the entire tournament amounts to an impressive US$10 million, making it a highly lucrative event for the participating teams.
WHO ARE THE UMPIRES AND MATCH REFEREES FOR THE 2023 ICC WORLD CUP?
The ICC has unveiled a team of 20 match officials who will officiate during the league stage of the World Cup. It’s worth noting that the appointment of officials for the semi-finals and final will be disclosed at a later date. Within this group of 20 officials, there are 16 umpires responsible for overseeing the matches, along with four match referees who will ensure fair play and adherence to the rules throughout the league stage of the tournament.
Umpires: Paul Wilson (Australia), Richard Illingworth (England), Chris Brown (New Zealand), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Michael Gough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Joel Wilson (West Indies), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Richard Kettleborough (England), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Alex Wharf (England), & Adrian Holdstock (South Africa).
Match Referees: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Richie Richardson (West Indies) Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe), and Javagal Srinath (India).
WHO ARE THE MASCOTS FOR THE TOURNAMENT?
The ICC World Cup has introduced two distinctive mascots named ‘Blaze’ and ‘Tonk’. According to an official statement from the ICC, ‘Blaze’ is represented as a female mascot who delivers lightning-quick deliveries, often leaving batters utterly amazed by her pace. In contrast, ‘Tonk’ is portrayed as a male mascot who exudes a cool and composed demeanor, establishing him as a formidable champion when it comes to batting prowess.
WHAT IS THE ANTHEM OF 2023 CRICKET WORLD CUP?
The 2023 Cricket World Cup has its official anthem titled “Dil Jashn Bole,” a captivating composition by the talented Pritam. This anthem song boasts the presence of renowned actor Ranveer Singh and accomplished choreographer Dhanashree Verma, alongside other notable figures, making it an enticing and star-studded affair.
WHERE AND HOW TO WATCH LIVE TELECAST AND LIVE STREAM IN INDIA?
Cricket fans in India can catch all the live action of the ICC World Cup 2023 on the Star Sports network channels. Additionally, fans have the convenience of live streaming the matches through the Disney + Hotstar app and website. In an exciting development, it’s worth noting that all tournament matches will be accessible for free on the mobile app, ensuring widespread access for cricket lovers across the country.
FULL SCHEDULE OF ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2023 WITH IST TIMINGS
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP IN 2019?
The World Cup concluded in a spellbinding manner as England emerged victorious on their home turf, triumphing over New Zealand in an unforgettable final match. The showdown reached a nail-biting climax with a tied super over, ultimately decided by the boundary countback rule, although this rule was later abandoned.
In this high-stakes encounter, Ben Stokes emerged as England’s hero, delivering a remarkable performance by scoring 84 runs to match New Zealand’s total of 241. Stokes returned to the pitch for the super over, teaming up with Jos Buttler to accumulate 15 crucial runs off Trent Boult. The tension in the air was palpable, but Jofra Archer displayed incredible composure, while Buttler executed a decisive run-out of Martin Guptill, securing a historic victory for England at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
In the 2019 edition of the tournament, India claimed the top spot in the group stage but faced a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the semi-final. Meanwhile, England advanced to the final by defeating Australia, who had finished second in the group standings.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE CRICKET WORLD CUP?
The Men’s Cricket World Cup has a rich history, spanning almost five decades, and is renowned as the premier international white-ball cricket tournament. It had its inaugural editions hosted by England in 1975 and 1979, but it was the West Indies who made an indelible mark by clinching the championship on both occasions.
However, in the upcoming 2023 World Cup, there will be a noticeable absence as the Caribbean team did not qualify, marking the first time they won’t participate.
As we entered the new century, Australia asserted their dominance by securing the title three times in a row, from 1999 to 2007. They hold the record for the most World Cup victories, having claimed the prestigious trophy five times.
India, with two titles to their name (in 1983 and 2011), Pakistan (in 1992), and Sri Lanka (in 1996) are the other nations that have achieved the pinnacle of success in this illustrious tournament.
WHO AND WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR IN THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2023?
Set in one of the most passionate cricket-loving countries globally, the upcoming World Cup promises an atmosphere filled with beauty, vibrant colors, and cultural richness. It’s an event that’s bound to captivate fans, especially when India faces Pakistan on October 14 in a rare showdown between these cricketing giants.
The match will take place at the awe-inspiring Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which holds the distinction of being the world’s largest cricket stadium. This encounter is not just a cricket game; it’s a fierce rivalry that transcends the sport and is a must-watch event.
Throughout the tournament, fans can look forward to witnessing cricketing superstars in action, from India’s Virat Kohli to Australia’s Mitchell Starc, England’s Ben Stokes, and New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson. There will be no shortage of top-tier talent on display.
Additionally, keep an eye out for underdog teams like Afghanistan, Netherlands, and Bangladesh, as they aim to shake up the status quo on this grand stage, injecting an element of unpredictability and excitement into the competition.