The ODI World Cup has evolved into a cherished delicacy, a rare treat reserved for special occasions. It demands time, effort, and dedication, yet the reward is well worth it. Held once every four years, it carries with it an air of genuine celebration. This heightened significance is further magnified by the fact that the ODI format has undergone a transformation, with few teams willing to engage in lengthy white-ball series that don't adhere to the T20 format.
ODIs have emerged as the perfect fusion of the power-packed excitement of T20 cricket and the finesse of Test matches. It's a realm where only players with unyielding techniques and enduring resilience shine. On October 5, cricket enthusiasts will savour this captivating blend as the ODI World Cup 2023 kicks off in India, Ahmedabad, concluding at the same venue on November 19.
The lead-up to this World Cup has not been without its challenges - scheduling woes, venue uncertainties, and ticketing hiccups, all of which have added to the anxiety of fans. However, as they say, "nothing good comes easy." And indeed, this tournament stands as a testament to that adage, representing the pinnacle of cricketing achievement, where only the most deserving can claim the title.
Afghanistan
Captain: Hashmatullah Shahidi
Key player: Mohammad Nabi
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Najib Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, Reyaz Hassan, Ikram Alikhil, Azmat Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq Murid
Australia
Captain: Pat Cummins
Key player: Mitchell Marsh
Squad: David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc
Bangladesh
Captain: Shakib Al Hasan
Key player: Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Squad: Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
England
Captain: Jos Buttler
Key player: Ben Stokes
Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Dawid Malan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson
India
Captain: Rohit Sharma
Key player: Hardik Pandya
Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin
Netherlands
Captain: Scott Edwards
Key player: Bas de Leededs
Squad: Vikram Singh, Scott Edwards, Max O'Dowd, Bas de Leede, 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
New Zealand
Captain: Kane Williamson
Key player: Trent Boult
Squad: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Trent Boult, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mark Chapman, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Will Young
Pakistan
Captain: Babar Azam
Key player: Shaheen Shah Afridi
Squad: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim
South Africa
Captain: Temba Bavuma
Key player: Heinrich Klaasen
Squad: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Gerald Coetzee
Sri Lanka
Captain: Dasun Shanaka
Key player: Dunith Wellalage
Squad: Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Shubman Gill
The prolific Indian batsman has already achieved five ODI centuries this year. He is on track to break a number of records, top of which could well be the most runs in an ODI World Cup. Equally at ease against pace and spin, Gill’s form at the top provides India's batting lineup with the cutting edge it needs to succeed.
Shakib Al Hasan
The Bangladeshi star had a stellar performance in the 2019 World Cup in England and expectations are even higher this time. His batting is reliable and his left-arm spin could prove deadly on subcontinent wickets – as proven during the Asia Cup win against eventual champions India. He is undeniably one of the most valuable all-rounders in the tournament.
Harry Brook
The English batsman was a late addition to the squad though many believe he should have been included from the outset. Widely regarded as one of the most promising young batsmen in the game, Brook can turn the tide of a match due to the depth and range of his stroke play. A well-settled position in the batting order should unlock his full potential and deliver a solid performance.
David Miller
Arguably one of the most versatile power hitters on the World Cup stage, this left-handed batsman has mastered spin and pace. His familiarity with the nuances of Indian surfaces only adds to his prowess. Furthermore, he is one of few left-handed ‘enforcers’ in the tournament, making him a special asset for the Proteas.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Shubman Gill
The prolific Indian batsman has already achieved five ODI centuries this year. He is on track to break a number of records, top of which could well be the most runs in an ODI World Cup. Equally at ease against pace and spin, Gill’s form at the top provides India's batting lineup with the cutting edge it needs to succeed.
Shakib Al Hasan
The Bangladeshi star had a stellar performance in the 2019 World Cup in England and expectations are even higher this time. His batting is reliable and his left-arm spin could prove deadly on subcontinent wickets – as proven during the Asia Cup win against eventual champions India. He is undeniably one of the most valuable all-rounders in the tournament.
Harry Brook
The English batsman was a late addition to the squad though many believe he should have been included from the outset. Widely regarded as one of the most promising young batsmen in the game, Brook can turn the tide of a match due to the depth and range of his stroke play. A well-settled position in the batting order should unlock his full potential and deliver a solid performance.
David Miller
Arguably one of the most versatile power hitters on the World Cup stage, this left-handed batsman has mastered spin and pace. His familiarity with the nuances of Indian surfaces only adds to his prowess. Furthermore, he is one of few left-handed ‘enforcers’ in the tournament, making him a special asset for the Proteas.
STADIUM GUIDE
Narendra Modi Stadium
Location: Ahmedabad
Capacity: 132,000
Matches: 5 (including final)
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
Location: Bengaluru
Capacity: 40,000
Matches: 5
HPCA Stadium
Location: Dharamshala
Capacity: 23,000
Matches: 5
Eden Gardens
Location: Kolkata
Capacity: 68,000
Matches: 5 (including semi-final)
M.A. Chidambaram Stadium
Location: Chennai
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: 5
Rajiv Gandhi International
Cricket Stadium
Location: Hyderabad
Capacity: 55,000
Matches: 3
Arun Jaitley Stadium
Location: New Delhi
Capacity: 37,500
Matches: 5
BRSABV Ekana Stadium
Location: Lucknow
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: 5
Wankhede Stadium
Location: Mumbai
Capacity: 32,000
Matches: 5 (including semi-final)
Maharashtra Cricket
Association Stadium
Location: Pune
Capacity: 36,400
Matches: 5
Travel times
The 2023 World Cup in India promises a geographically diverse spectacle, with venues scattered across the nation. The farthest reaches of the tournament stretch 3,300km: from Dharamshala in the north, to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, where warm-up games were held.
When looking at main match venues, the tournament's geographical spread becomes even more apparent. Dharamshala, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata form the tournament's farthest-flung locations, representing various corners of this cricket-loving nation. In stark contrast, Mumbai and Pune stand as the closest neighbours – separated by 150km.
Longest distances:
Dharamsala to Chennai: 2,600km (no direct flights)
Dharamsala to Bengaluru: 2,600km (no direct flights)
Ahmedabad to Kolkata: 2,000km (2.5 hours)
STADIUM GUIDE
Narendra Modi Stadium
Location: Ahmedabad
Capacity: 132,000
Matches: 5 (including final)
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
Location: Bengaluru
Capacity: 40,000
Matches: 5
HPCA Stadium
Location: Dharamshala
Capacity: 23,000
Matches: 5
Eden Gardens
Location: Kolkata
Capacity: 68,000
Matches: 5 (including semi-final)
M.A. Chidambaram Stadium
Location: Chennai
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: 5
Rajiv Gandhi International
Cricket Stadium
Location: Hyderabad
Capacity: 55,000
Matches: 3
Arun Jaitley Stadium
Location: New Delhi
Capacity: 37,500
Matches: 5
BRSABV Ekana Stadium
Location: Lucknow
Capacity: 50,000
Matches: 5
Wankhede Stadium
Location: Mumbai
Capacity: 32,000
Matches: 5 (including semi-final)
Maharashtra Cricket
Association Stadium
Location: Pune
Capacity: 36,400
Matches: 5
Travel time
The 2023 World Cup in India promises a geographically diverse spectacle, with venues scattered across the nation. The farthest reaches of the tournament stretch 3,300km: from Dharamshala in the north, to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, where warm-up games were held.
When looking at main match venues, the tournament's geographical spread becomes even more apparent. Dharamshala, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata form the tournament's farthest-flung locations, representing various corners of this cricket-loving nation. In stark contrast, Mumbai and Pune stand as the closest neighbours – separated by 150km.
Longest distances:
Dharamshala to Chennai: 2,600km (no direct flights)
Dharamshala to Bengaluru: 2,600km (no direct flights)
Ahmedabad to Kolkata: 2,000km (2.5 hours)
PRIZE MONEY
The champions of the 2023 ODI World Cup will be rewarded $4 million in prize money.
The runners-up are set to earn $2 million, while the losing semi-finalists will receive $800,000 each.
The remaining six teams that exit the competition after the group stage will receive $100,000 each.
The winners of each league match are also awarded $40,000.
Words Ajit Vijaykumar
Design Deepak Fernandez
Photo Editor Ravindranath Kantharaju
Photos BCCI, AFP, Wikipedia and Shutterstock
Editor Juman Jarallah
Sub Editor Imran Malik
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