The World Cup commences on Thursday, 5 October when 2019 finalists England and New Zealand clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the event culminating in the final at the same venue on Sunday, 19 November
Our Bureau
Agra/New Delhi
With only 50 days remaining for the highly anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, the prestigious trophy was proudly displayed at the enchanting Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
The gleaming silverware, set to be the ultimate prize when the tournament gets underway from October 5 to November 19, radiated under the sun against the magnificent backdrop of the Taj Mahal—a true Wonder of the World. This recent visit to the Taj Mahal symbolized a harmonious blend of India’s rich cultural heritage and the pinnacle of cricket, offering an exquisite spectacle for fans as the tournament’s excitement continues to build. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour aims to capture the festive and celebratory spirit associated with Cricket World Cups, presenting a series of grand events at some of the world’s most iconic destinations.
“50 days to go for #CWC23,” tweeted ICC. On August 9, ICC released a statement to announce the revised schedule for the upcoming World Cup in India on Wednesday. The much-awaited encounter between India and Pakistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has been rescheduled to a different day, along with these eight other matches of the tournament have also been changed.
The clash between India and Pakistan was originally slated to take place in Ahmedabad on Sunday, October 15, but this clash has been moved a day earlier and will now be held at the same venue on Saturday, October 14.
As a result, England’s fixture against Afghanistan in Delhi will be moved from Saturday, October 14 and will now be played 24 hours later on Sunday, October 15.
Pakistan’s contest against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad has moved from Thursday, 12 October to now being played on Tuesday, 10 October and Australia’s big match against South Africa in Lucknow moved back 24 hours and will now be played on Thursday, October 12 instead of Friday, October 13.
Towards the end of the league stage, there are three changes with the double-header encounters of Sunday, 12 November being moved a day earlier to Saturday, 11 November – Australia vs Pakistan in Pune (10:30 AM) and England vs Pakistan in Kolkata (02:00 PM).
The World Cup commences on Thursday, 5 October when 2019 finalists England and New Zealand clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the event culminating in the final at the same venue on Sunday, 19 November. India will start its campaign with a match against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
Ten teams will feature in this biggest Cricket World Cup ever, to be played across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final. The event will feature 48 matches to be played across 46 days.
The venues other than Ahmedabad and Chennai are Bengaluru, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune. While Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will join Hyderabad in hosting the practice games.
Eight teams have qualified for the 46-day event through the Cricket World Cup Super League while the final two spots were decided by the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier taking place in Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands grabbed the two final spots in the tournament.
The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, to be played in Mumbai on November 15 and in Kolkata on November 16. The final will be on November 19 in Ahmedabad. The semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.
All-rounders will be decisive
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri asserted that pacers would be crucial to India’s campaign and having four of them in the playing eleven would be an apt decision in their squad for the World Cup 2023 and Asia Cup 2023.
Views of former India head coach Shastri along with the endorsements of former chief of selectors Sandeep Patil, have cast a spotlight on the critical factors that can shape the composition of the Indian cricket team with the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 on the horizon.
During discussions on Star Sports’ ‘Selection Day’ show, the two seasoned voices weighed in on the selection strategy, emphasizing the significance of all-rounders and the composition of pacers within the squad.
Shastri suggested that Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur, along with the two major all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya, should be in the team. Ravi Shastri also proposed that Sanju Samson be kept on standby and integrated into the team if an injury occurs.
“I think to be fair; I will go with both the all-rounders – Axar and Shardul, it gives me an opportunity. And keep Sanju Samson on standby in case something happens to the keeper there, where he can just fly out,” Ravi Shastri said while speaking to Star Sports on the ‘Selection Day’ show.
The former India head coach said that he would go with two more all-rounders other than Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.
“So, now you start with the pacers because, for me, the pacers are important. If you need four over there, you already have one all-rounder (Pandya). So, if Bumrah is fit, he walks in. Shami walks in – that’s two. You’ve got Siraj as a backup, and if needed, Shardul can be there. Shardul has done well in the West Indies one-day game; he can be a backup. And then you have room for one more,” he added.
Sandeep Patil was in agreement with Shastri. “I will go with what Ravi said because I want to remember 1983. The combination we had, we had many all-rounders in the team, and having all-rounders in the team gives you so much variety, and you can choose anybody.”
Rohit Sharma on his 2019 performance
India skipper Rohit Sharma on Thursday recalled some of his memories associated with the ICC Cricket World Cup and said that he was playing his best cricket in 2019 but it was not enough as India failed to lift the trophy.
Rohit was the top-scorer in the 2019 WC, scoring 648 runs at an average of 81 in nine innings, with five centuries and a fifty.
“2019 World Cup was the best cricket I have played, got some runs but again I have mentioned many times if you don’t win the trophy, these runs don’t really matter, I was disappointed as we have given everything as a team but it wasn’t just for us,” Rohit Sharma said in a video posted by ICC on Instagram.
Ten teams feature in what will be the biggest Cricket World Cup ever, to be played across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final.
Ahmedabad will also host matches between traditional rivals India and Pakistan (October 15) and Australia and England (November 4).
The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, to be played in Mumbai on November 15 and in Kolkata on November 16. The semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.
“Virat will bat at four for the team”: Shastri
Former Indian head coach and all-rounder Ravi Shastri said that Virat Kohli should drop down the order during the upcoming Asia Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup, adding that he had even thought of it when he was the coach during the 2019 World Cup in England.
In a conversation with Star Sports, he also said Ishan Kishan should open the batting and Virat, skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill should adjust to new positions, if needed.
Shastri added that moving Virat down the order will also break up the heavy top order and add some experience and batting depth to the lower-middle order.
“Ishan Kishan should bat right at the top of the order. Rohit as a captain is vastly experienced. He can go in at three. he can go at four. This is where you have to see the player’s frame of mind. How will Shubman Gill feel if asked to bat No.3 or No.4 as opposed to batting at the top? No one owns a position. If Virat has to bat at four, he will bat at four for the team,” Shastri said on Star Sports.
Shastri revealed that the thought of asking Virat to drop down the order had crossed his mind while he was the head coach of Team India during the last edition of the World Cup in England.
Virat has been in great form this year, so far. In 10 ODIs this year, he has scored 427 runs at an average of 53.37, with two tons and a fifty and a best of 166 against Sri Lanka.
