by Nitesh Mathur | Jul 30, 2021 | Article Index, Miscellaneous, World XIs - With Twists
Captain Eoin Morgan said that he is “continuously monitoring different” individuals for the England T20 World Cup Squad. So why not help him out a bit?
Saqib Mahmood dazzled in the Pakistan-England series, Liam Livingstone and James Vince are striking the living daylight out of the white ball, and death bowlers are getting more expensive by the day.
The Hundred is upon us now. We get to see breakout stars like Chris Benjamin. However, it is unlikely they will even be considered for the upcoming T20 World Cup. On the other hand, ex-England players like Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Steven Finn, and Jade Dernbach make sure that the domestic game is still strong, but they will not board the plane either come November.
We analyze each and every player that is contender for the 23-men (COVID rules) T20 World Cup—when they last played for England, T20/T20I stats, where they stack with their competitors, and how many games they have to secure their spot. There are 36 strong candidates in the list with 44 overall T20 prospects for this World Cup. And no, this is not the entire depth of the English cricket team. That would take it up to 75 players depth!
Table of Contents
- Legend
- Current Status
- Verdict
- England T20 World Cup Squad – Player By Player Analysis
- Openers
- #3 and #4
- Finishers
- Reserve Keeper
- All Rounders
- Fast Bowlers
- Spinners
- Notable Exclusions
- England XI
Also Read: County Cricket-Hundred Debate From an Outsider’s Perspective: Can They Co-Exist?, The Comedy of Overs: A Shakespearean Parody
Legend
Current Status
- Incumbent: Currently in England’s T20I XI
- Reserve: May have played for England in the last two years but does not make their first XI
- Out of Squad: Might have represented England earlier or about to breakthrough, but have not been in the England squad in the last couple of T20I series.
Verdict
🟩 Plays the first match in the T20 World Cup
🟨 Boards the plane to UAE but might not get a look-into the XI
🟧 Wildcard Entry: Not in the current scheme of things but a good performance in the Hundred, T20 Blast, or IPL, and they might be back in the conversation.
🟥 Most likely not going to make it, but in COVID-19 World, anything is possible. They are next in the pecking order in case something out of the blue happens.
Over the past year, at the end of every series, we did a “World T20 World Cup Watch,” where a 23-men squad was chosen after latest performance. You can check them below.
Also Read: England Vs Sri Lanka 2021 Series Review, India Vs England Series Review T20I, England Vs South Africa 2020 Series Review
Here is the pecking order now.
England T20 World Cup Squad – Player By Player Analysis
In order to create the machinery for the explosive England T20 World Cup Squad, we specifically pay attention to the Average + Strike Rate score for the batters along with the Economy Rate for the bowlers. A Dawid Malan (high average, decent strike rate) is just as important as a Jason Roy (decent average, high strike rate) to this squad.
Openers
1. Jason Roy 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 48, Runs: 3658, 100/50: 0/6, Best: 78, AVE+SR: 170.51, Average: 24.85, SR: 145.66
- T20s: 246, Runs: 6403, 100/50: 4/42, Best: 122*, AVE+SR: 171.23, Average: 27.96, SR: 143.27
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Out of form in the last year, he is just getting back to his best. If he performs in the Hundred, he makes the XI, let alone the squad.
2. Jos Buttler 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Keeper/Vice-Captain
- T20Is: 82, Runs: 1871, 100/50: 0/14, Best: 83*, AVE+SR: 171.54, Average: 31.71, SR: 139.83
- T20s: 292, Runs: 7066, 100/50: 1/49, Best: 124, AVE+SR: 175.44, Average: 31.68, SR: 143.76
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Manchester Originals, IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- Vice-Captain, Wicketkeeper. Has gone to another level as a T20I opener. One of the first names of the team sheet.
3. James Vince 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve
- T20Is: 12, Runs: 340, 100/50: 0/1, Best: 59, AVE+SR: 151.96, Average: 28.33, SR: 123.63
- T20s: 258, Runs: 6949, 100/50: 2/42, Best: 107*, AVE+SR: 164.73, Average: 30.61, SR: 134.12
- Last Played T20I For England: November 9, 2019 (*ODI: July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: None
- Has the best cover drive in England. Finally showed up on the big stage with a 100 in ODI against Pakistan. Performed in other leagues around the world in the past year and continuing it with The Hundred – pushing for a spot in the squad. Maybe in the XI.
4. Tom Banton 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Other Roles: Keeper
- T20Is: 9, Runs: 205, 100/50: 0/1, Best: 71, AVE+SR: 166.12, Average: 22.77, SR: 143.35
- T20s: 53, Runs: 1394, 100/50: 2/9, Best: 107*, AVE+SR: 184.89, Average: 28.44, SR: 156.45
- Last Played T20I For England: September 7, 2020
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: None
- Burst on the scene as the next ‘KP’ with the scoops and reverse sweeps. Destructive when on fire but has received limited opportunities. Needs to make most of The Hundred if he wants to get into the England squad.
5. Alex Hales 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20Is: 60, Runs: 1644, 100/50: 1/8, Best: 71, AVE+SR: 167.66, Average: 31.01, SR: 136.65
- T20s: 306, Runs: 8569, 100/50: 5/53, Best: 116*, AVE+SR: 176.87, Average: 30.82, SR: 146.05
- Last Played T20I For England: March 9, 2019
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: None
- Dominates T20 leagues around the world. Failed drug tests, Bristol brawl, relationship with Morgan, and controversy has almost killed his international career. Time running out for that ‘conversation’ to get him back into the England team. And with like-to-like batter James Vince already having a foot in the door, it will be difficult for him to comeback.
6. Phil Salt 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve
- T20s: 104, Runs: 2333, 100/50: 0/18, Best: 78*, AVE+SR: 176.94, Average: 25.35, SR: 151.59
- Last Played T20I For England: Yet to play (*ODI: July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Manchester Originals, IPL Team: None
- Impressed in the ODI series against Pakistan. Look out for him in the next decade. Only an outside chance for this World Cup.
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – Openers
- Makes Team: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, James Vince, Tom Banton
- Out of Team: Alex Hales, Phil Salt
#3 and #4
7. Dawid Malan 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 30, Runs: 1123, 100/50: 1/11, Best: 103*, AVE+SR: 182.62, Average: 43.19, SR: 139.33
- T20s: 240, Runs: 6507, 100/50: 5/38, Best: 117, AVE+SR: 160.52, Average: 32.69, SR: 127.83
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: Punjab Kings
- #1 T20I batter in the world, but questions beginning to creep on his position in the XI due to spin. He is definitely a match-winner, but hope he does not lose matches on his off-days.
8. Moeen Ali 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Off-spinner/All-rounder
- T20Is: 38, Runs: 437, 100/50: 0/2, Best: 72*, AVE+SR: 152.32, Average: 16.18, SR: 136.13, Wickets: 21, Best: 2/21, Economy: 8.42
- T20s: 183, Runs: 3925, 100/50: 2/21, Best: 121*, AVE+SR: 165.62, Average: 24.84, SR: 140.78, Wickets: 124, Best: 5/34, Economy: 7.56
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Birmingham Phoenix, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
- Has to one of my the most underutilized players in the last decade. Practically played in every position and with vital IPL experience, will be key in UAE. Can he beat the competition to bat in the top-order?
9. Ben Stokes 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Medium Pace/All-rounder/Reserve Captain
- T20Is: 34, Runs: 442, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 47*, AVE+SR: 156.93, Average: 20.09, SR: 136.84, Wickets: 19, Best: 3/26, Economy: 8.77
- T20s: 148, Runs: 2865, 100/50: 2/9, Best: 107*, AVE+SR: 159.98, Average: 24.91, SR: 135.07, Wickets: 86, Best: 4/16, Economy: 8.52
- Last Played T20I For England: March 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Uncertain.
- Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- Not the best T20 stats but he is a big game player. The real question is, where does he play? #3 like the IPL or as a finisher? Stokes is taking an indefinite break from all cricket. Hopefully he is okay.
10. Jonny Bairstow 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Keeper
- T20Is: 57, Runs: 1143, 100/50: 0/7, Best: 86*, AVE+SR: 164.92, Average: 27.87, SR: 137.05
- T20s: 160, Runs: 3857, 100/50: 3/22, Best: 114, AVE+SR: 169.29, Average: 31.35, SR: 137.94
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. (but why?) Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
- One of the best ODI opening batters of all-time, a clean striker, and a wonderful player of spin, his role might change with a #4 position for the T20 World Cup.
11. Joe Root 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Other Roles: Part-time Off-Spinner
- T20Is: 32, Runs: 893, 100/50: 0/5, Best: 90*, AVE+SR: 162.02, Average: 35.72, SR: 126.30, Wickets: 6, Best: 2/9, Economy: 9.92
- T20s: 83, Runs: 1994, 100/50: 0/13, Best: 92*, AVE+SR: 158.92, Average: 32.16, SR: 126.76, Wickets: 21, Best: 2/7, Economy: 8.41
- Last Played T20I For England: May 4, 2019 (ODI: 3 July, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: None
- Chief architect of the 2016 runners-up campaign, Root has fallen off the charts in the last four years in T20 cricket. He has expressed his desire to play more T20I cricket but does not play many leagues. Lower SR than Malan, but is a valuable part-timer that might help his case.
12. Zak Crawley 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20s: 35, Runs: 1042, 100/50: 1/5, Best: 108*, AVE+SR: 187.29, Average: 33.61, SR: 153.68
- Last Played T20I For England: Yet to Play (ODI: July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
- An outside choice for the T20 World Cup, but he showed in London Spirit’s opening game of the Hundred, that he is a fluent batter – 64 (40). One of England’s future stars, a 187.29 AVE+SR is the best of any current England batters apart from Livingstone
13. Ben Duckett 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20Is: 1, Runs: 9, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 9, AVE+SR: 137.57, Average: 9.00, SR: 128.57
- T20s: 122, Runs: 2903, 100/50: 0/18, Best: 96, AVE+SR: 166.85, Average: 30.88, SR: 135.97
- Last Played T20I For England: May 4, 2019
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: None
- With scores of 53,41 (The Hundred), 74*, 45 (Vitality Blast), 69* (County Championship), Duckett is in red-hot form and was in the Pakistan squad. He is on the fringe and definitely has the shots, courage, and innovation to succeed in T20s.
14. Joe Denly 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Other Roles: Part-time Leg-Spinner (has a hat-trick)
- T20Is: 13, Runs: 125, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 30, AVE+SR: 118.43, Average: 12.50, SR: 105.93,Wickets: 7, Best: 4/19, Economy: 7.75
- T20s: 241, Runs: 5719, 100/50: 4/31, Best: 127, AVE+SR: 148.64, Average: 26.60, SR: 122.04, Wickets: 41, Best: 4/19, Economy: 7.80
- Last Played T20I For England: September 7, 2020
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
- Cameback after a decade, played a few memorable knocks, but in all likelihood, selectors have left him behind. My gut says that one of the Joes will make it in the squad – Denly’s flexibility and leg break is a big plus (but Root will likely edge past him).
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – #3-4
- Makes Team: Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root
- Out of Team: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Denly
Finishers
15. Eoin Morgan 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Captain
- T20Is: 107, Runs: 2360, 100/50: 0/14, Best: 91, AVE+SR: 167.03, Average: 28.78, SR: 138.25
- T20s: 332, Runs: 7217, 100/50: 0/37, Best: 91, AVE+SR: 158.99, Average: 26.82, SR: 132.17
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Most Likely.
- Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
- Captain Morgan, captain cool. His pedigree in captaincy is still top notch but his potency with the bat has declined. Just a loss of form or signal to waning batting prowess? Does he make your XI?
16. Liam Livingstone 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve, Other Roles: Part-time Leg Spinner
- T20Is: 8, Runs: 206, 100/50: 1/0, Best: 103, AVE+SR: 201.80, Average: 34.33, SR: 167.47, Wickets: 2, Best: 1/8, Economy: 7.20
- T20s: 141, Runs: 3608, 100/50: 2/20, Best: 103, AVE+SR: 171.13, Average: 29.09, SR: 142.04, Wickets: 53, Best: 4/17, Economy: 7.76
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Birmingham Phoenix, IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- Fastest T20I century by an Englishmen and probably one of the longest hitter of the ball. The most in-form batter in England, he should make the England XI.
17. Sam Billings 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve, Other Roles: Keeper
- T20Is: 32, Runs: 417, 100/50: 0/2, Best: 87, AVE+SR: 145.08, Average: 16.68, SR: 128.30
- T20s: 180, Runs: 3646, 100/50: 0/21, Best: 95*, AVE+SR: 153.93, Average: 23.67, SR: 130.26
- Last Played T20I For England: June 25, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
- The ultimate team man, Sam Billings has been carrying drinks for the last four years. He should make the squad just because of his patience. Expecting a couple of cameos with the little opportunities he gets.
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – Finishers
- Makes Team: Eoin Morgan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Billings
- Out of Team:
Reserve Keeper
18. John Simpson 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Other Roles: Keeper
- T20s: 132, Runs: 2238, 100/50: 0/8, Best: 84*, AVE+SR: 153.04, Average: 23.31, SR: 129.73
- Last Played T20I For England: Yet to Play (July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
- Impressed with his keeping skills in the England-Pakistan series, but will most likely not make it with Buttler-Bairstow-Billings-Banton all secondary keepers.
Enjoying this article on England T20 World Cup Squad so far? Subscribe below for more!
All Rounders
19. Sam Curran 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Pinch-hitter
- T20Is: 16, Runs: 91, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 24, AVE+SR: 177.84, Average: 18.20, SR: 159.64, Wickets: 16, Best: 3/28, Economy: 7.93
- T20s: 103, Runs: 1232, 100/50: 0/6, Best: 72*, AVE+SR: 167.46, Average: 20.88, SR: 136.58, Wickets: 103, Best: 4/11, Economy: 8.49
- Last Played T20I For England: June 25, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
- The ‘Makes Things Happen‘ guy, he is a valuable asset, especially after his Chennai Super Kings stint. Opens the bowling, bowls at the death, and can open the batting/#3 as a pinch hitter. A gun fielder as well.
20. David Willey 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve, Other Roles: Specialist swing bowler
- T20Is: 32, Runs: 182, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 29*, AVE+SR: 146.84, Average: 14.00, SR: 132.84, Wickets: 38, Best: 4/7, Economy: 7.99
- T20s: 197, Runs: 2797, 100/50: 2/11, Best: 118, AVE+SR: 163.77, Average: 23.50, SR: 140.27, Wickets: 191, Best: 4/7, Economy: 7.89
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: None
- Has been in-and-out of the squad since his debut. Jofra Archer’s entrance meant his spot was sacrificed on the eve of the World Cup. He should find a place in the 23-men squad, and can be played in the XI if swing on offer. Bats at he top in domestic cricket as well.
21. Chris Jordan 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve, Other Roles: Specialist Death Bowler
- T20Is: 65, Runs: 296, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 36, AVE+SR: 148.13, Average: 14.80, SR: 133.33, Wickets: 73, Best: 4/6, Economy: 8.70
- T20s: 227, Runs: 1179, 100/50: 0/6, Best: 45, AVE+SR: 135.04, Average: 14.37, SR: 120.67, Wickets: 103, Best: 4/11, Economy: 8.49
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: Punjab Kings
- Highest wicket-taker for England in T20Is (73), his inconsistency and economy rate has seen him dropped recently. If he is in-form, he merits a place in the XI. Has the yorkers, all the variations, and one of the best fielders on the circuit.
22. Chris Woakes 🟨
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve
- T20Is: 10, Runs: 91, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 37, AVE+SR: 170.77, Average: 30.33, SR: 144.44, Wickets: 8, Best: 2/40, Economy: 8.11
- T20s: 118, Runs: 831, 100/50: 0/2, Best: 57* AVE+SR: 162.30, Average: 25.18, SR: 137.12, Wickets: 129, Best: 4/21, Economy: 8.27
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Birmingham Phoenix, IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
- No questions on his credentials, but does he make the XI with Archer, Wood, Curran, Jordan? Also gets rested too often. Maybe he is injury prone.
23. Lewis Gregory 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Reserve
- T20Is: 9, Runs: 45, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 15, AVE+SR: 117.25, Average: 7.50, SR: 109.75, Wickets: 2, Best: 1/10, Economy: 9.00
- T20s: 141, Runs: 1758, 100/50: 0/5, Best: 76*, AVE+SR: 163.84, Average: 20.92, SR: 142.92, Wickets: 133, Best: 5/27, Economy: 8.99
- Last Played T20I For England: July 15, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Trent Rockets, IPL Team: None
- Brilliant 77 to rescue England against Pakistan in an ODI will be in selectors mind, but will be touch-and-go for the 23-squad.
24. Tom Curran 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 30, Runs: 64, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 14*, AVE+SR: 124.94, Average: 10.66, SR: 114.28, Wickets: 29, Best: 4/36, Economy: 9.25
- T20s: 145, Runs: 1057, 100/50: 0/3, Best: 62, AVE+SR: 153.24, Average: 19.94, SR: 134.30, Wickets: 165, Best: 4/22, Economy: 8.85
- Last Played T20I For England: July 17, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Yes.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
- Tom Curran is the big question. If he is in the squad, he will definitely get games but it is a risky proposition. With other allrounders in the team, will Brydon Carse, Reece Topley, and Lewis Gregory give Tom a scare? Not sure if specialist slower delivery alone is valuable in today’s era. The IPL in UAE is break or make for him.
25. Liam Dawson 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Other Roles: Left-arm orthodox
- T20Is: 6, Runs: 17, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 10, AVE+SR: 229.50, Average: 17.00, SR: 212.50, Wickets: 5, Best: 3/27, Economy: 7.60
- T20s: 177, Runs: 1984, 100/50: 0/5, Best: 82, AVE+SR: 133.72, Average: 19.64, SR: 114.08, Wickets: 126, Best: 5/17, Economy: 7.30
- Last Played T20I For England: February 17, 2018
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: No
- Matt Parkinson has nearly established himself as an understudy to Adil Rashid in the spin department. Dawson hasn’t played since 2018, but will the slow UAE pitches and left-arm spin variety force a rethink?
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – All-Rounders
- Makes Team: Sam Curran, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes
- Out of Team: Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Liam Dawson
Fast Bowlers
26. Jofra Archer 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 12, Wickets: 14, Best: 4/33, Economy: 7.89
- T20s: 121, Wickets: 153, Best: 4/18, Economy: 7.65
- Last Played T20I For England: March 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? Maybe.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave (not playing), IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- If fit, he will make the XI, but if not, how does that change England’s composition?
Update August 5th, 2021: Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the T20 World and other cricket for the rest of the year due to elbow fracture.
27. Mark Wood 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 17, Wickets: 26, Best: 3/9, Economy: 8.50
- T20s: 38, Wickets: 46, Best: 4/25, Economy: 8.14
- Last Played T20I For England: June 23, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: London Spirit (not playing), IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- England’s enforcer in limited overs cricket, their team’s success relies heavily on Wood’s form. At the peak of his powers, no question on his place.
28. Saqib Mahmood 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Incumbent
- T20Is: 9, Wickets: 7, Best: 3/33, Economy: 10.41
- T20s: 42, Wickets: 54, Best: 4/14, Economy: 8.54
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: None
- With 4/42, 2/21, 3/60, 1/46, 3/33 across formats against Pakistan, Saqib has stormed into England’s squad. Like-for-like replacement for Wood in ODIs, can he replicate his success in T20Is?
29. Reece Topley 🟨
- Current Status: Reserve
- T20Is: 6, Wickets: 5, Best: 3/24, Economy: 10.07
- T20s: 117, Wickets: 117, Best: 4/20, Economy: 8.18
- Last Played T20I For England: March 17, 2016 (ODI: March 27, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Oval Invincibles, IPL Team: None
- 6 foot 7, left arm medium. Height, left-arm, pace & bounce. Injuries have marred his career, but not too far away from the XI.
30. Jake Ball 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20Is: 2, Wickets: 2, Best: 1/39, Economy: 11.85
- T20s: 93, Wickets: 118, Best: 4/11, Economy: 8.81
- Last Played T20I For England: July 7, 2018
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Welsh Fire, IPL Team: None
- Been around since 2016 and debuted in all formats, but never managed to cement a place. The Hundred is his final opportunity before the T20 World Cup.
31. Tymal Mills 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20Is: 5, Wickets: 3, Best: 1/27, Economy: 6.78
- T20s: 132, Wickets: 142, Best: 4/22, Economy: 7.84
- Last Played T20I For England: May 30, 2018 (ICC World XI), 2017 – last played for England
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: None
- One of the fastest in England, a poor stint with RCB in the IPL & injuries set him back for a couple of years. Still only 28, still has a long career ahead. Definitely in Morgan’s mind and considered for the World Cup due to his X-factor potential.
32. Brydon Carse 🟧
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20s: 36, Wickets: 19, Best: 3/30, Economy: 8.76
- Last Played T20I For England: Yet to play (ODI: July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: None
- Has impressed at the death in the Pakistan series and so far with the Hundred. An outside chance to replace Tom Curran.
33. Craig Overton 🟥
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad
- T20s: 59, Wickets: 54, Best: 3/17, Economy: 9.00
- Last Played T20I For England: Yet to play (ODI: July 12, 2021)
- Is he in the India test series? Yes. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Southern Brave, IPL Team: None
- Replaces Ben Stokes in the Test series and has been a fringe player for a while. Hope he receives more opportunities.
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – Fast Bowlers
- Makes Team: Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood, Reece Topley
- Out of Team: Jake Ball, Tymal Mills, Brydon Carse, Craig Overton
Spinners
34. Adil Rashid 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad, Style: Legbreak
- T20Is: 62, Wickets: 65, Best: 4/35, Economy: 7.48
- T20s: 195, Wickets: 222, Best: 4/19, Economy: 7.43
- Last Played T20I For England: July 19, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No (needs to be picked though).
- Hundred Team: Northern Superchargers, IPL Team: None
- Approaching legendary status. Will be absolutely crucial for the World Cup.
35. Matt Parkinson 🟩
Embed from Getty Images
- Current Status: Out of Squad Style: Legbreak
- T20Is: 4, Wickets: 6, Best: 4/47, Economy: 9.50
- T20s: 63, Wickets: 99, Best: 4/9, Economy: 7.49
- Last Played T20I For England: July 17, 2021
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: Manchester Originals, IPL Team: None
- Parkinson’s 4/9 against Birmingham Phoenix was a timely reminder of his abilities. Shane Warne thinks England should pencil him for the Ashes. In turning pitches of UAE, Rashid-Parkinson can be a deadly duo.
36. Mason Crane 🟥
- Current Status: Out of Squad Style: Legbreak
- T20Is: 2, Wickets: 1, Best: 1/38, Economy: 7.75
- T20s: 51, Wickets: 59, Best: 3/15, Economy: 7.27
- Last Played T20I For England: June 24, 2017 (Test: 7 January, 2018)
- Is he in the India test series? No. Will he play the IPL? No.
- Hundred Team: London Spirit, IPL Team: None
- Has always been in conversation as a replacement spinner but with Rashid solidifying the limited overs spot, Dom Bess/Jack Leach receiving the vote of confidence, and Matt Parkinson’s rapid rise, Crane has not seen much of international cricket. Does not help that he his also a legspinner.
Embed from Getty Images
England T20 World Cup Squad Verdict – Spinners
- Makes Team: Adil Rashid, Matt Parkinson
- Out of Team: Mason Crane
Notable Exclusions
37-45. Liam Plunkett, George Garton, Danny Briggs, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson
*Since Jofra Archer is ruled out for the entire year, England still has 44 players to consider.
England XI
Based on Ben Stokes & Chris Woakes’ availability, this is my XI and England squad of 23. Eoin Morgan’s form is a concern, but doubt he will be dropped on the eve of the World Cup.
- Jason Roy
- Jos Buttler (WK/VC)
- Ben Stokes*
- Jonny Bairstow
- Eoin Morgan (C)
- Liam Livingstone
- Sam Curran
- Chris Jordan
- Mark Wood
- Adil Rashid
- Matt Parkinson
*doubtful
Squad: 12. Moeen Ali, 13. Dawid Malan, 14. Saqib Mahmood, 15. James Vince, 16. Tom Curran, 17. Tom Banton, 18. Sam Billings, 19. Chris Woakes, 20. Reece Topley, 21. David Willey, 22. Jake Ball/Brydon Carse, 23. Joe Root/Alex Hales
For #22-23, I am going with Carse-Root. Young X-factor, and the off-spin of Root.
August 5th Update: Initially Tom Curran did not make my 23, but since Jofra Archer is ruled out, I am putting Chris Jordan in the XI and Tom Curran in the 23.
Variations in the XI
- In extra spin conditions, I would play Moeen Ali & Joe Root in the top order. Better players of spin and good bowling options as well.
- On a flat high scoring pitch, a death bowler who can bat like Chris Jordan would be a good punt.
- If swinging conditions are available, two out of Sam Curran, David Willey, and Chris Woakes could be considered.
If you like this content on England T20 World Cup Squad, please subscribe above for FREE and follow us on our social media accounts.
Follow us here if you are on Medium or Bloglovin‘.
© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 7/30/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).
by Nitesh Mathur | Jul 29, 2021 | Analysis, Article Index, Miscellaneous
Abraham Lincoln famously remarked, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
England cricket is having that moment right now with the County Cricket vs The Hundred debate. From the outside, everything seems fine—2019 World Cup victory, Anderson-Broad still going strong, finally a somewhat stable opening Test partnership in Burns-Sibley, and an enviable depth.
Deep down, though, there are gaping cracks. Tradition, history, club cricket, professional contracts, indirect impact on Tests are stacked against city-based franchises, new format, media rights, and emphasis on limited overs cricket.
Today, I am not going to present an argument from an English perspective—David Hopps, Andrew Miller, and George Dobell (twice) provide well-articulated balanced views. On the other hand, I express my observations as an outsider.
Is Controversy Helping County Cricket or Hundred?
Full disclosure—I am not from England. I have no particular affinity with a specific county and do not follow much of the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup, or the T20 Blast (unless of course Alastair Cook is nearing another ton or Shaheen Shah Afridi takes 4 in a row). Nor did I watch a single game of the Kia Super League.
Yet the endless debates and discussion on social media against The Hundred piqued my curiosity. I have since watched almost all games of The Hundred and have enjoyed them too. While County Cricket fans are trying to fight for their side, they might have actually helped publicize the Hundred.
Also Read: The Comedy of Overs: Shakespearean Parody Starring English Cricket, The Hundred, And County Cricket
The Good, Bad, And Ugly
So has The Hundred lived up to the hype?
First impressions—the possibility that a bowler can bowl 10 consecutive balls has added an extra dimension. Rashid Khan went as far as to say it’s now possible to take three hat-tricks! Imagine the flexibility with swing bowlers and death specialists. When a Joe Root-esque part-timer keeps it tight, let him or her continue.
I also like the speed of the game. The over-rate field placement penalty and the swiftness of DRS decisions has reduced the time down to less than 3 hours.
Most importantly, the cricket has been good, and it looks like a fun family time. Affordable tickets, priceless expressions of kids, last over thrillers, Lizelle Lee-Jemimah Rodrigues specials, find of Chris Benjamin, Alex Hales-Ben Stokes drama, and Bairstow being Bairstow. All good.
There is always room for improvement, however. Graphics are all over the place, crowds are not sell-outs, and even umpire Nigel Llong had to ask the DJ to dial it down a notch.
Disparity in Score Decreases
The simultaneous matches with the Women’s Hundred is turning out to be a gamechanger. The level of women’s cricket was criticized in Women’s T20 Challenge when the Velocity were bundled for 47 although conditions were not ideal.
In the Hundred, when the women’s team only scored 113-93, the men’s teams did even worse 87/10 a few hours later in a spin dominated pitch. The average scores are 124 and 137 so far for the women’s & men’s editions respectively, and quality of cricket equally enthralling.
Can County Cricket, T20 Blast, and The Hundred Coexist—Yay or Nay?
One argument has been why not just re-market the T20 Blast instead of creating a new format?
If we all agree that County Cricket, T20 Blast, and the Hundred are to coexist, the question then becomes of scheduling.
- County Championship: 18 Teams, 3 Groups, 90 matches, April-July
- T20 Vitality Blast: 18 Teams, 2 groups, 133 matches, June-September
- The Hundred: 8 teams & 34 matches for Women’s/Men’s each, July-August
Add the home Test summer, the English rain, and this is a packed schedule. The issue with the T20 Blast is that it is played over 18 teams, broken over several months, with numerous games on the same day. The momentum is stagnant, regular international talent not retained, and coverage low.
About Time England Dominate The League World
England are the current ODI World Champions and one of the favorites for the T20 World Cup. If there was ever a time to invest in a franchise league of international standard, it is now before the likes of Eoin Morgan head towards retirement.
When the IPL was launched in 2008, India still had legends like Dravid-Tendulkar-Ganguly-Laxman to build stable fanbases & drive spectators to the ground but it was the 2007 T20 World Cup victory that ensured T20 would succeed in India. Yes, it might be weird that Jonny Bairstow from Yorkshire is playing for the Welsh Fire. There maybe no natural County support for an artificial franchise league, but Dhoni & Raina are not from Chennai either (far from it!) and probably possess the largest IPL fanbase.
England was reluctant to invest in franchise cricket and suffered till the 2015 Cricket World Cup debacle as a result. The rest of the world allowed India to become a monopoly in the T20 market. One can argue that losing Buttlers-Stokes-Morgans-Archers to the IPL 2 months in the year is indirectly hurting the County Cricket. Had English cricket invested in a T20 league earlier and provided it a window so it does not clash with domestic tournaments, they would have been at a better place. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
There is still time. Who knows, a high-quality concentrated domestic tournament can extend England’s golden era and throw up new stars.
Better players, more competition, more spectators/TV viewership, more money, higher salaries—Players, counties, leagues, everybody happy?
Also Read: The Need For Champions League & a T20 League Calendar
Why Not Follow the India Model?
With 38 teams & multiple groups, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the IPL coexist. A separate window for the IPL ensures availability of homegrown talent as well as majority of foreign players. Ranji Trophy provides professional support, SMAT is scheduled strategically a month before the auction to showcase new talent, and the IPL, in return, provides developed players, academies, & scouting systems back to the domestic teams.
From the looks of it, ECB has almost made up its mind about the Hundred at least for a couple of seasons. So why not try to find a solution that benefits all parties involved instead of opposing it?
I will leave you with Michael Atherton’s warning on commentary today. Fans are drawn towards a new format because it is exciting and different. Administrators get greedy and keep expanding like the IPL and Big Bash. A few years later, the format becomes diluted and ‘loses its pizzazz.’
Just a short 1-month Hundred can probably survive and not hurt other formats. However, if this format is to spread to expand to more teams, other countries, or become an international format, then there will be detrimental consequences. Until then we can have some fun and adapt innovations from this experiment into the existing formats. Keep the Hundred simple, but do not forget the county game either.
Lincoln was right. Now England must choose—an internal divisive cricket Civil War or a mutual partnership?
Thanks for checking out this content! What are your views on County Cricket Vs The Hundred. COMMENT Below or more engagement! Consider subscribing for more such cricket articles & featured content!
Copyright @Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, bcd@brokencricketdreams.com – 07/29/2021
Image Courtesy: Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com
by Nitesh Mathur | Jul 14, 2021 | Analysis, Article Index, Miscellaneous
Lots of world cricket recently. Cricket here, cricket there, cricket everywhere.
In the last month, New Zealand defeated India to lift the inaugural World Test Championship. South Africa swept the Test series 2-0 and won the T20I series 3-2 against the world champions, West Indies, who themselves blew Australia out of the park in the T20I series.
Ireland emerged victorious in an almost-perfect ODI match against South Africa. Finally, a last-minute England’s second-string squad whitewashed a full-strength Pakistan team 3-0, and a second-string India threatens to be too strong for Sri Lanka on paper.
Also Read: Indian Cricket Team 75+ Player Depth List, Top 50+ England Cricket Team Players Depth List
Embrace the Uncertainty
If you tried predicting all the series above, most likely you would have missed a few. Cricket’s landscape is changing. A vast transformation is taking place.
No single team is unbeatable, and no team can be taken lightly. Case and point— Sri Lanka. Transition phase, lackluster, downfall, where are the glory days gone?—call them anything, but they are the only Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa and that too in 2019.
In the current ODI Super League, Ireland have blown hot and cold. They have defeated current ODI World Cup holders, England and South Africa. Those were no fluke victories either—chasing 329 and putting 291 on the board is no little feat. However, the Irish drew 1-1 against UAE, lost 0-3 against Afghanistan, and surrendered important Super League points to Netherlands in a 1-2 series loss.
Also Read: Netherlands Vs Scotland & Ireland 2021, Ireland Vs Afghanistan 2021 Series Review
New Winners, New Stories
Let us dissect this further. This uncertainty is not a recent phenomenon either. Due to the influx of ICC tournaments (almost one every year now), there is a higher probability of multiple teams claiming a world trophy.
Gone are the days of West Indies 1980s (1975/1979 WC winners, 1983 finalist) and Australia 2000s (1996 finalists, 1999/2003/2007 WC winners, 2006/2009 Champions Trophy winners).
South Africa (till 2015) and India been right up there over the last decade without putting their stamp of domination. West Indies have dominated T20Is, England have changed ODI cricket, and New Zealand have been a constant force.
Yet since the 2013 Champions Trophy, a different winner has conquered each ICC Trophy.
- 2013 Champions Trophy: India
- 2014 T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka
- 2015 ODI World Cup: Australia
- 2016 T20 World Cup: West Indies
- 2017 Champions Trophy: Pakistan
- 2019 ODI World Cup: England
- 2021 World Test Championship: New Zealand
In the next decade, 5 WTC Finals, 6 T20I World Cups, 3 ODI World Cups, and 2 Champions Trophies will provide ample opportunity for new winners.
Sure, with the bench strength that England, India, or New Zealand possess, they will be contenders but not certain winners.
ICC Has Gotten Something Right
Honest confession time. I have been critical of the ICC in the past, but must give it to them. They have a made a few decent decisions recently—pushing for cricket in the Olympics, extending future World Cups to include more Associate nations (14-team ODI WC, 20-team T20I WC), and most importantly, by providing much needed structure.
The first great thing ICC did was granting T20I status to all 104 nations in 2018. It was the right step in “globalizing the game” by ensuring standardization in terms of grounds, umpiring, and code of conduct. T20I World Cups scheduled every two years will ensure vigorous qualification structure.
To provide context in Test cricket, the World Test Championship was installed. It has numerous flaws, but the fact that spectators were critical of the points table, a record number watched the finals, and predictions for the next cycles have already begun show that the ICC have succeeded at some level in contextualizing Test cricket. The fact that Virat Kohli, Tim Paine, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson have been active advocates for the WTC has made it an even better spectacle to view.
The best of these ICC innovations has to be the 13-team ODI Super League that feeds into the new ODI World Cup qualification system. Every ODI series is a 3-match affair, and every team plays 24 matches. This is already a win for the likes of Ireland, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and the Netherlands, getting opportunities to compete against the top teams consistently. By the looks of it, Sri Lanka and even South Africa are in real danger of not making direct qualification for the next World Cup, spicing things up.
These systems are only in their infancy, and by the time the structure is robust, cricket will be at a better place.
Looking Forward to the 2020s
The 2000s was a wonderful era for cricket—a collision of generations. Sri Lanka-Pakistan-India had strong teams, England, New Zealand, & West Indies were competitive enough, while South Africa & Australia were the teams to beat. ODI cricket was at its peak, Test cricket was still prospering, and the Sehwags & Gayles provided us a glimpse into T20 future.
The 2010s saw each team going through massive transition eras. Home advantage in Test cricket killed any semblance of competition. The overkill of T20 cricket questioned cricket’s existence at the core.
Cricket has seen a turning point, especially since 2019. All formats have seen riveting action.
Carlos Brathwaite’s Remember the Name gave T20Is its unique iconic image. T20 cricket is now at its pinnacle with T20 specialists popping in every country and most nations now possessing a stable T20 league. With two consecutive T20 World Cups coming up, each T20I series is closely followed.
Brendon McCullum’s New Zealand and Eoin Morgan’s England changed the way ODI cricket was played. The 2019 World Cup final, Ben Stokes/Steve Smith’s Ashes, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have created a new generation of cricket fans. A sporting Test cricket pitch can go a long way. Bonners-Myers 4th innings chase, Fawad Alam’s almost match-saving knock, and the World Test Championship final all gave chills.
Changes will continue, one team will no longer dominate, and that is only a good thing. World cricket has survived its chaotic phase and has come out for the better.
Copyright @Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams 07/14/2021. Email: bcd@brokencricketdreams.com
Image Courtesy: Fractal Image – Robert Sontheimer, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
by Nitesh Mathur | Jun 16, 2021 | Analysis, Miscellaneous
Cricket used to be referred as a “Gentleman’s Game.” It now seems like an oxymoron.
Just look at the events from the last couple of weeks. Contrasting actions from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) & Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) shed light into a changing world and the role sports & media play in the larger scheme of things.
Why Shakib, Why?
A video went viral last week where Shakib Al Hasan broke the stumps twice in the same Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match. Have a look below. It is pretty disheartening.
What was the result of his actions? Three match ban and monetary fine. That’s all.
Shakib Al Hasan is one of my all-time favorite players. He might go down as the best all-rounder cricket has ever seen. Definitely Bangladesh’s all-time best.
This does not however, or at least should not, excuse him from such unruly behavior.
Mohammad Isam beautifully outlines the growing influence of Shakib’s indiscipline and his utter disregard for the “game, his colleagues, or the officials.” Since Shakib is an integral part of the Bangladesh national team, his previous bans have been reduced to accommodate him.
History of Indiscipline in Recent Bangladesh Cricket
What’s worse? It is not the first time, and most likely will not be his last.
Shakib’s first public outburst came way back in 2010, abusing a spectator who was blocking the sightscreen. A few more instances of trouble occurred in 2011, but he was not reprimanded. The first action taken against him was in 2014, when he was banned for 3 matches for displaying an inappropriate gesture on live television. A six month ban ( eventually reduced to three months) followed in 2014 due to internal disputes with coach Hathurusingha and his threats to quit international cricket. Finally, the most serious suspension was a year-long hiatus imposed by the ICC in 2019 for Shakib not reporting a bookie approach.
Just a few weeks ago, Mushfiqur Rahim, who himself has some history of anger & premature celebrations, displayed his rage on the field to his own teammate.
Nidahas Trophy was especially infamous for such antics. Snake-dance celebration, Shakib calling players back in the middle of a game, and Mahmudullah’s display of anger prior to his last ball six.
Although these senior players have to take responsibility, there is a larger picture at play here. Isam portrays that the entire Bangladesh system is to blame—biased umpiring, poor administration & leadership, local club bias/corruption, points manipulation, etc.
Poor environment breeds poor behavior. As simple as that.
Ollie Robinson: The Other Side of the Coin
England’s hands-on policy to deal with disciplinary issues lies on the other end of the spectrum.
27-year old Ollie Robinson had a magnificent debut in the first Test against England, taking 4/75 & 3/26 to go along with a solid 42. During the Test, his racist and sexist tweets reemerged from 2012. These comments are completely inexcusable, even if it was an 18-year-old tweeting it who did not have a professional contract back then.
The result? The ECB has suspended Robinson from all international cricket until further disciplinary investigation and has announced a ‘historical review’ of England players’ social media posts. Since then, another unnamed player’s tweets are under the scanner, who was under 16 at the time of the tweet.
The consequences?
- Ollie Robinson provides a written apology.
- He announces a short break from cricket to be with his family due to social media pressure.
- Dom Bess deactivates his Twitter account as a precautionary measure
- McCullum-Morgan-Buttler’s old tweets mocking English of other fans & players are bashed by twitterati.
England promises swift action, zero-tolerance policy, series of workshops, & self-education. Commentators like Nasser Hussain, captain Joe Root, and Jimmy Anderson have all pitched in to further the conversation on inclusiveness and focus on “improving [themselves] as people.” Even Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a say—claiming Robinson’s punishment was too severe.
In order to help make the society more inclusive & tolerant, actions need to be taken, but how far is too far?
Alex Hales & Joe Clarke
England is not the embodiment of gentleman’s game either. Far from it. Just like Bangladesh, this is not the first in England’s cricket either.
This was just a recent list of incidents. I am sure there are several more and numerous unreported cases.
Fine Line Between Cancel Culture And Laissez-Faire?
Hales, one of the catalysts of England’s rise to the top in limited overs cricket, has yet to make a comeback despite completing rehabilitation and performing in T20 leagues. Similarly, Joe Clarke has been performing consistently in T20 Blasts circuits, but it is unlikely he will ever be selected on the international arena.
On the other hand, punishments for Shakib and co vary are not harsh at all. Yes, racism and anger against an umpire are two different things, but there needs to be a standardized guidance from ICC.
This gets me to my final point—where do you draw the fine line?
Cancel and woke culture, accentuated by the age of social media, has been a major factor in all this. If nobody found out about the Robinson’s tweets, would he have been reprimanded? Resurfacing social posts and twitter policing, courtesy random people sitting behind screen’s and criticizing the world, can have a major impact on someone else’s career & life. Social media is good to awaken certain conversations, but whether it should be utilized for hasty actions is another question.
The BCB has employed a more laissez-faire approach while ECB’s handling is much more extreme, influenced by cancel culture. In reality, disciplinary guidelines should be somewhere in the middle.
George Dobell offers an apt solution—Amnesty. Instead of digging up old tweets and punishing retroactively, why not accept the mistake, “outline modern-day expectations and penalties, and provide a fresh start”?
One thing is for certain — cricket is no longer a gentleman’s game. Culture and societies are evolving and cricket should follow suit, albeit in a careful manner.
COPYRIGHT @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X, 06/16/2021; Email at bcd@brokencricketdreams.com
Image Courtesy: Image by Edward Lich from Pixabay
by Nitesh Mathur | Jun 2, 2021 | Analysis, Miscellaneous, ODI League
Greek philosopher Heraclitus penned a now famous phrase, “Change is the only constant in life, ” and well, it seems that the Cricket World Cup (CWC) formats took this quote a little too seriously.
Group stage, round-robin, Super Sixes, Super Eights, knockouts—you name it, the format has been experimented with.
History Repeats Itself
From an 8-team event (1975, 1979), the CWC gradually grew to nine teams (1992), then 12 (1996, 1999), 14-teams (2003), and finally reached its inflection point with 16 teams in the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
The 2007 iteration was poorly received for various reasons, but one of the fallouts was halting the gradual expansion of Associate nations in World Cups. With genuine upsets from Ireland & Bangladesh against Pakistan, India, and later South Africa, the ICC lost a major chunk of funding.
The impact?
2011 & 2015 World Cups went back to the ‘90s formats with an elongated 14-team event, while the 10-team 2019 & 2023 events have revived the 1992 round-robin structure, providing as much game time (and hence, financial stability) for the big teams.
If It Is Broke, Fix It
The change of management has done wonders for the ICC—reducing the power of the Big 3, promoting the idea of cricket in the Olympics, and expanding the game with coordinated World Cups with a blockbuster World Cup schedule for the next decade:
- Men’s ODI World Cup & Women’s ODI Champions Trophy (2023, 2027, 2031)
- Women’s ODI World Cup & Men’s Champions Trophy (2025, 2029)
- Women’s & Men’s T20I World Cups (2024, 2026, 2028, 2030)
- World Test Championship Final (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031)
There is at least one major tournament for both men & women every year with the odd years also including the World Test Championship final.
Expansion Is the Will of the Nature
If you thought that was good news, hear this out.
The 54-match ODI World Cup is expanded to a 14-team affair (throwback to 2003) – 2 groups of 7, followed by Super Sixes, and finally the semi-finals & the finals.
The 55-match T20I World Cups will well and truly be a ‘world cup’—20 team tournament, 4 groups of 5, a Super Eight Stage, followed by semi-finals & finals. The T20I World Cup will guarantee at least 4 games for eight non-Test playing nations. Massive improvement.
With expanded World Cups, this provides incentive & motivation for Associate players to continue the game. Several Associate cricketers have taken premature retirements for opportunities elsewhere. This will add the fuel to keep them going.
Basketball has caught up with the FIFA benchmark of world cups with a 32-team event, while field hockey & rugby are 16-team affairs. It is time that cricket expand and catch up to the will of nature.
Revisiting the Glory Days
Remember Dwayne Leverlock’s one-handed stunner? Or Shapoor Zadran’s emotional celebration?
This is what World Cups are for—discovering new talents, cherishing the moments, providing a platform for smaller teams to grow, and promoting competition, not diminishing it.
The Associate Nations have provided numerous moments of glory—World Cup’s fastest century at the hand of Kevin O’Brien to hand England a defeat in Bangalore, Stuart Broad’s missed run-out/overthrow giving way for a Netherlands victory, Zimbabwe’s defeat to world-beaters Australia in 2007, and Bangladesh’s rise via CWC victories against Pakistan (1999), India, South Africa (2007), and England (2011, 2015).
Gruesome Qualifier Tournaments Out of the Window
With the expanded World Cup formats, one thing is for certain. The added salt to injury, also known as the Qualifiers, will have a lesser impact.
After Afghanistan & Ireland attained Test Status and became Full Members, the 2019 & 2023 formats were even more difficult to digest. It is a cricket sin for Full Members to not be a part of the World Cup. Zimbabwe & Ireland did not make it to the 2019 WC, and it is likely that even someone like Sri Lanka can lose out on a spot in the next world cup.
Case & point is the 2018 CWC Qualifier, one of the more closely fought tournaments in recent times. Scotland was in sight of qualifying at the expense of the West Indies or Afghanistan, when rain arrived and Scotland mathemagically lost by 5 runs due to the DL method. Zimbabwe also missed out on a qualification spot due a rained-out match.
An over or two should not determine fates for a World Cup qualification. Even worse was the T20 tournaments. After a 51-match qualification tournament for Associates, teams would enter a 3-match ‘pre-qualification’ stage in the actual world cup itself! Ludicrous.
In 2016, Bangladesh & Afghanistan proceeded to the next round while Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Oman, & Ireland crashed out.
Double disqualification, I like to call it. Survivor of the fittest ones that have the most money.
Warning: Potential Conflicts & T10 Format Ahead
Not everything will be fixed by expanding the Word Cup, however. Last month, the ICC backed T10 Cricket in Olympics. I am in full support of cricket in the Olympics albeit T20.
However, with a T20 World Cup now scheduled every two years, including 2028 & 2032, T20 cricket in the Los Angeles & Brisbane Summer Olympics look like a distant dream. Creating an international T10 format might be the only feasible choice, further crowding the international and the T10/T20 leagues calendar.
In any case, I will definitely take more context in cricket calendar, & support for the Associate & lower-ranked nations in exchange of embracing the T10 format.
It is the Little Moments That Matter
Did we really need a World Cup to prove that in the ‘80s the West Indians were a class apart or the Australians were the best in the world in the 2000s?
No, but a World Cup or Olympics is much more than that. So, why have predictable world cup formats?
Surprises & uncertainty, thrills & chills, unity in a divided world, and sportsmanship & hope amidst despair—that is what sport is all about.
It is about time cricket puts the world back in its so-called world cup.
Copyright: Nitesh Mathur, 6/2/2021, bcd@brokencricketdreams.com
Image Courtesy: Image by stokpic from Pixabay
by Nitesh Mathur | May 27, 2021 | Analysis, Miscellaneous, Women's Cricket
The pandemic has elevated the disparity between men’s & women’s cricket, with the situation worsening in recent weeks.
Post-Pandemic Disorder: Women’s Cricket Scheduling Problems
March 8th, 2020 with 86,174 spectators. The crescendo beginning in the 2017 Women’s ODI World Cup peaked on that day in the World T20 final between Australia and India. However, progress has stalled due to the COVID-19 break. The post-pandemic stats below show how the counterparts stacked between March 2020 & January 2021:
- Maximum possible days of international cricket scheduled (5 days maximum per tests)
- Men: 128 days
- Women: 16 days (including 5 Austria-Germany T20Is)
- Total Matches Played (international + T20 Leagues)
(Check out Who Cares About Women’s Cricket, where we displayed detailed list of post-COVID statistics, thoughts about women’s cricket & WIPL)
Miscommunication at its finest
Women’s cricket resumed in September 2020 as West Indies toured England. Later in the year, New Zealand played against Australia & England, and Pakistan visited South Africa. It took Indian women an entire year before playing against South Africa in March 2021. Proteas won the series comfortably 4-1 (ODIs) & 2-1 (T20I).
Although lack of match practice, domestic tournaments, & national camps was the reason for India’s defeat, highly regarded coach WV Raman was the casualty, alleging a “smear campaign” against him. Replacement Ramesh Powar, who famously had a fallout with Mithali Raj in 2018, was picked as the head coach again.
Stark Payment Gap
Although women cricketers have seen a marked increase in revenue since 2017, it is nearly not enough (with New Zealand, England, India, & Australia expanding central contracts).
BCCI’s latest contracts caused uproar. The highest paid men’s bracket is worth fourteen times as much as the highest paid women’s bracket.
Grade A+, consisting of Kohli, Sharma, and Bumrah earn about 7 crores (INR) or about $964,000 (USD). Grade A earn 5 crores ($689,000), B with 3 crores ($413,000), & C, consisting of the likes of Kuldeep & Gill, earn around 1 crore ($138,000).
Their counterparts—Mandhana, Kaur, & Poonam (Grade A) earn 50 lakhs INR ($68,000), while stalwarts like Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami (Grade B) plummet down to 30 lakhs ($41,000). This is comparable to the current standard around the world, but things do need to change.
What’s worse? World T20 finalist prize money worth $500,000 has not been paid yet, 14 months later. It took Isabelle Westbury’s Telegraph article & subsequent social media outrage to get BCCI to act, finally paying the dues.
The most profitable cricket board needs to allocate resources properly. The least they can do is avoid media stunts and focus on tangible progressive changes.
Hope In Times of Uncertainty
There is still hope, however.
Indian women will play two Test matches (last Test in 2014) this year, one each against England & Australia. The Test in Australia will be a day-night affair, which adds another layer of excitement.
Ireland & Scotland women are also back in action right now with a T20 series. New Zealand’s England tour in September is the only other scheduled series prior to the ODI World Cup (March 2022).
The Hundred Is the Savior
The Hundred in July this year promises to be a game-changer for women’s cricket.
All men & women’s game will be held on the same day on the same ground, will be televised (including free-to-air games), and prize money will be shared evenly between the winners of the men’s & women’s tournaments. It has the potentialize to revolutionize the women’s game and become a template for other T20 leagues to follow.
Even Indian players have been given the green signal to participate in the Women’s Hundred & the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
When Will the Attitudes Change Towards Women’s Cricket?
Australia, England, New Zealand are prime examples of how to recruit the future of women’s cricket, with efforts visible in the WBBL & New Zealand’s Super Smash tournaments.
Yet, there is still a long way to go. Each national board should prioritize women’s cricket, invest accordingly in the infrastructure, and work together with other nations to uplift standards.
Am I hoping against hope?
Copyright: Nitesh Mathur, 5/27/2021, Broken Cricket Dreams, bcd@brokencricketdreams.com
Image Courtesy: Photo by Ben Mack on Pexels.com
