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2023 Cricket World Cup England Squad (The Definitive Guide): Can England Continue their ODI Legacy?

Here is everything you need to know from 2023 Cricket World Cup England squad announcement.

The 2023 Cricket World Cup is the 13th edition of the prestigious tournament and will kick off in June of that year. England are one of the favorites to lift the trophy, with a strong squad filled with world-class talent. We take a look at who might make up their starting XI by looking at some of the leading candidates for each position.

Let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways from England’s ODI Squad Announcement

  • The average age of England’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad is 33.1. Only Harry Brook (24), Gus Atkinson (25), Sam Curran (25), and Reece Topley (29) are under the age of 30.
  • The 15-member England’s World Cup squad has average ODI match experience of 76 ODIs (1133 ODIs among 15 players).
  • England’s squad composition is as follows: 6 proper batters (with two part-time bowling options), 5 all-rounders, and 4 proper bowling options. In total, England have 11 bowling options (2 leg spin, 2 off spin, 3 left arm pace, and 4 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed.
  • England have 4 left-handed batting options (Stokes, Malan, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali) and two wicketkeeping options.
  • England will continue to prolong their T20 & ODI legacy. They have picked 9 players from their 2019 ODI World Cup winning squad and 10 players from their 2022 T20 World Cup squad.

England Cricket World Cup Team at a Glance

PlayerRoleAge
Jason Roy**Batter33
Jonny BairstowBatter/Wicketkeeper34
Dawid MalanBatter35
Joe RootBatter/part-time off spin32
Ben StokesAll-Rounder/ Medium Pace32
Jos ButtlerBatter/Wicketkeeper32
Harry BrookBatter24
Liam LivingstoneBatter/part-time leg spin30
Moeen AliAll-Rounder/off-spin36
Sam CurranAll-Rounder/Medium Pace25
Mark WoodFast Bowler33
Adil RashidLeg Spin35
Reece TopleyFast Bowler29
Chris WoakesAll-Rounder/Medium Pace34
David WilleyAll-Rounder/Medium Pace33
Gus AtkinsonFast Bowler25
Jofra Archer*Fast Bowler28
28

*Traveling Reserve

**axed from the final England squad

Also Read:

England Cricket World Cup 2023 Potential XI

  1. Jonny Bairstow (WK)
  2. Dawid Malan
  3. Joe Root
  4. Harry Brook
  5. Ben Stokes
  6. Jos Buttler (C)
  7. Liam Livingstone
  8. Moeen Ali
  9. Sam Curran
  10. Mark Wood
  11. Adil Rashid

Injury News

7 England Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out

England is blessed with limited over talent. Harry Brook has been in top notch form with 4 Test centuries, ODI fifty, and T20I fifty. He was also in the world cup winning T20 World Cup squad.

  • Jason Roy, Tom Curran, Ben Duckett, James Vince, Will Jacks, Phil Salt, Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson

Surprise Pick for England’s World Cup Squad

  • Gus Atkinson is a surprise pick for the World Cup team. He has bowled at up to 95 mph speeds in the Hundred. Atkinson has only played two List A games, 14 first class matches, and 41 T20 games.
  • Ben Stokes coming out of retirement and scoring a 182.
  • Harry Brook picked over Jason Roy.

How Many Players Played in England’s 2019 ODI World Cup Squad?

8 players (Bairstow, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Wood, Rashid, Woakes) were part of England’s 2019 World Cup squad.

How Many Players Played in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup Squad?

11 players (Brook, Buttler, Ali, S Curran, Livingstone, Malan, Rashid, Stokes, Willey, Woakes, Wood) were part of England’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad.

2023 Cricket World Cup Squad: England Cricket Team List of Players for the World Cup

1. Jason Roy (Axed)

Role: Right Hand Bat (Opener)

  • Matches/Innings: 116/110
  • Runs: 4271, Best: 180
  • Average/SR: 39.91/105.53
  • 100/50: 12/21

Recent ODI Form: 9, 1, 4, 132, 19

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 33

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2. Jonny Bairstow (WK)

Role: Right hand bat/Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 98/89
  • Runs: 3634, Best: 141*
  • Average/SR: 46.58/104.12
  • 100/50: 11/17
  • Catches/Stumpings: 48/3

Recent ODI Form: 38, 0, 63, 28, DNB (did not bat), 86*, 12, 73, 6, 0, 13

Last ODI: September 14,, 2023

Age: 34

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3. Dawid Malan

Role: Left Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 21/21
  • Runs: 769, Best: 134
  • Average/SR: 54.92/93.09
  • 100/50: 4/3

Recent ODI Form: 12, 118, 114*, 11, 0, 54, -, 2, 26, 54, 96, 127

Last ODI: September 14, 2023

Age: 35

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4. Joe Root

Role: Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Off-Spin

  • Matches/Innings: 162/151
  • Runs: 6207, Best: 133*
  • Average/SR: 50.05/86.93
  • 100/50: 16/36

Recent ODI Form: 11, 0, 86, 1, DNB

Last ODI: July 24, 2022

Age: 32

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5. Ben Stokes

Role: Left Hand Bat/Right Arm Fast Medium

  • Matches/Innings: 108/93
  • Runs: 2924, Best: 102*
  • Average/SR: 38.98/95.08
  • 100/50: 3/21
  • Wickets: 74, Best: 5/61
  • Economy: 6.05

Recent ODI Form: 32, 0, 21, 27, 5 & 0/31 0/1, DNB, 0/14, 0/44

Last ODI: July 19, 2022

Age: 32

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6. Jos Buttler (C/WK)

Role: Right Hand Batter/ Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 169/142
  • Runs: 4647, Best: 162*
  • Average/SR: 41.49/117.97
  • 100/50: 11/24
  • Catches/Stumpings: 204/34

Recent ODI Form: 94*, 131, 9, 76, 26

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 32

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7. Liam Livingstone

Role: Right Arm Bat, Right Arm Legbreak/Offbreak

  • Matches/Innings: 16/14
  • Runs: 250, Best: 66*
  • Average/SR: 31.25/122.54
  • Wickets: 6, Best: 2/30
  • 100/50: 0/1

Recent ODI Form: 33, 27, 10, 38, DNB

Last ODI: 24 July, 2022

Age: 30

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8. Sam Curran

Role: Left Arm Bat/Left Hand Medium Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 26/19
  • Runs: 318, Best of: 95*
  • Average/SR: 24.46/96.36
  • 100/50: 0/1, 4w/5w: 1/1
  • Wickets: 26, Best: 5/48
  • Economy: 3.23

Recent ODI Form: 17, 28, 11, 33*, 23 & 3/35, 1/60, 0/50, 4/29, 2/51

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 25

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9. Moeen Ali

Role: Left Arm Bat, Right Arm Offbreak

  • Matches/Innings: 132/106
  • Runs: 2212, Best: 128
  • Average/SR: 25.13/99.46
  • 100/50: 3/6
  • Wickets: 99, Best: 4/46
  • Economy: 5.28

Recent ODI Form: 51, 41, 14, 52, 2 & 1/51, 0/32, 0/29, 2/35, 1/27, 0/48

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 36

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10. David Willey

Role: Left Hand Bat/ Left Arm Fast Medium

  • Matches/Innings: 67/66
  • Runs: 538, Best: 51
  • 100s/50s: 0/2
  • Wickets: 84, Best: 5/30
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 4/1
  • Economy: 5.58

Recent ODI Form: DNB, 34*, 6, 12*, 7 & 1/19, 2/51, 2/44, 0/63, 0/38

Last ODI: January 27, 2023

Age: 33

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11. Chris Woakes

Role: Right Arm Medium Pace/Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 114/80
  • Runs: 1386, Best: 95*
  • Wickets: 160, Best: 6/45
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 10/3
  • Economy: 5.45

Recent ODI Form: 0/62, 0/60, 1/51, 1/28, 1/27 & 0, 14, 9*, 7, 34

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 34

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12. Mark Wood

Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler

  • Matches/Innings: 59/58
  • Wickets: 71, Best: 4/33
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 2/0
  • Economy: 5.42

Recent ODI Form: 3/34, 0/19, 0/35, 2/34, 0/14

Last ODI: March 3, 2023

Age: 33

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13. Reece Topley

Role: Left Arm Fast/Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 26/26
  • Wickets: 33, Best: 6/24
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 1/1
  • Economy: 5.29

Recent ODI Form: 6/24, 3/35, 2/34, 0/34, 0/74, 0/48

Last ODI: February 1, 2023

Age: 29

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14. Adil Rashid

Role: Right Arm Leg break (can bat a bit)

  • Matches/Innings: 126/120
  • Runs: 734, Best: 69
  • Wickets: 183, Best: 5/27
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 8/2
  • Economy: 5.64

Recent ODI Form: 2/72, 3/68, 2/47, 4/45, 2/21

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 35

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15. Gus Atkinson

Role: Right Hand Bat/ Right Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 3//3
  • Wickets: 1
  • Economy: 5.52

Age: 25

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16. Harry Brook

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 6/6
  • Runs: 123, Best: 80
  • Average/SR: 20.50/79.35
  • 100/50: 0/1

Recent ODI Form: 0, 80, 6, 25, 2, 10

Last ODI: September 15, 2023

Age: 24

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17. Jofra Archer

Role: Right Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 21/21
  • Wickets: 42, Best: 6/40
  • Economy: 4.80
  • 4/5 fer: 0/1

Recent ODI Form: 1/81, 6/40, 2/37, 3/35

Last ODI: March 6, 2023

Age: 28

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Final Thoughts

With a squad full of stars and potential match-winners, England are one of the favorites to lift the 2023 Cricket World Cup trophy.

The team is very well balanced, with experienced bowlers and reliable batters.

What do you think? Can they go all the way again in the subcontinent? Comment below with your thoughts!

Also Read:

Frequently Asked Questions – 2023 Cricket World Cup England Squad

Why did Ben Stokes unretire from ODI cricket?

Ben Stokes unretired from ODI cricket and came back to play in the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup.

What is the average age of England’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?

England’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad average age is 31.8 years.

Who is Gus Atkinson?

Gus Atkinson is a 25-year-old fast bowler from Chelsea, England that is bowling these days at 95 mph. He has played 2 List A games, 14 first class matches, and 41 T20Is. He plays for the Oval Invincibles in the Hundred and Surrey in County Cricket.

Who is selected for England’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?

Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (C), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Daivd Willey, Gus Atkinson, and Reece Topley is selected for England’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 08/17/2023. 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).

Top 50 England Cricket Team Players: Does England Have More Reserve Depth Than India?

Today we discuss Top 50 England Cricket Team players.

England’s rotation policy is well documented. Anderson and Broad have been preserved for more than a decade, while the Woods, Stones, Archers, and Currans rotate. Their bowling depth is quite vast.

After years of mediocre cricket, England’s rise post 2015 has been nothing short of marvelous. 2016 WT20 final, 2017 Champions Trophy semi-finals, winning it all in the 2019 World Cup, and the team to beat at the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup. Their limited overs bench strength is quite something. In Tests, they have now won a record 6 in a row overseas.

Last week, we analyzed India’s bench strength…of 75 players, which can field four complete international quality teams. England can definitely field Team Morgan Vs Team Buttler, but can this era of English cricket give India a fight in their reserves?

Today’s Twist

Build FOUR England National Cricket Teams: 2 Test teams, an ODI, and a T20I XI so that (1) each team can field a team (wicketkeeper & 5 bowling options), and (2) a player is not repeated in any of the lists.

The Catch

  • Would you pick Ben Stokes for the Test team, ODI, or the T20I? How about Jofra Archer? Is Buttler more dangerous ODI middle-order batsman or a T20I opener?
  • Can you make all 4 teams balanced? The goal is that each team is just as good and competitive on the international stage. The ODI & T20I teams should be good enough for the World Cups and the Test teams for the World Test Championship.

England Cricket Team Players

*uncapped player

Test Team 1

  1. 1. Rory Burns
  2. 2. Dom Sibley
  3. 3. Zak Crawley
  4. 4. Joe Root (C)
  5. 5. Ollie Pope
  6. 6. Ben Foakes (WK)
  7. 7. Jofra Archer
  8. 8. Stuart Broad
  9. 9. Dom Bess
  10. 10. Jack Leach
  11. 11. James Anderson

Test Team 2

  1. 1. Haseeb Hameed
  2. 2. Keaton Jennings
  3. 3. Joe Denly
  4. 4. Dan Lawrence
  5. 5. Moeen Ali (C)
  6. 6. James Bracey* (WK)
  7. 7. Sam Curran
  8. 8. Craig Overton
  9. 9. Jake Ball
  10. 10. Mason Crane
  11. 11. Olly Stone

England Cricket Limited Overs Teams

ODI XI

  • 1. Jason Roy
  • 2. Jonny Bairstow (WK)
  • 3. Eoin Morgan (C)
  • 4. Ben Stokes
  • 5. Jos Buttler (WK)
  • 6. Sam Billings
  • 7. Chris Woakes
  • 8. David Willey
  • 9. Adil Rashid
  • 10. Mark Wood
  • 11. Saqib Mahmood

T20I XI

  1. 1. Alex Hales
  2. 2. James Vince
  3. 3. Dawid Malan (C)
  4. 4. Tom Banton
  5. 5. Liam Livingstone
  6. 6. Ben Duckett (WK)
  7. 7. Lewis Gregory
  8. 8. Liam Dawson
  9. 9. Chris Jordan
  10. 10. Tom Curran
  11. 11. Reece Topley

*Notes:

  • I made sure Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales were in different teams (ouch).
  • David Willey narrowly missed out on that World Cup squad, but here, Archer plays for the Test team, while Willey makes the ODI XI. Best of both worlds.
  • Initially I had Sam Billings as a T20I finisher/captain, but had to fill a space in the ODIs (given Root was picked for the Test squad). Hence, Ben Duckett was added to the T20I XI.

Extended List of Prospects

These are just the 44 that are ready for the international level. Here is an extended list of players for the next decade. These players were either (1) selected for the 55-men ECB training squad when cricket returned from COVID, (2) have recently represented England Lions, or (3) were picked from the recent T10 League.

Fringe Players (recent standby players): 45. Jake Ball, Amar Virdi, 46. Matt Parkinson, 47. Ollie Robinson

Youngsters to Watch Out (26 or Below): 48. Jamie Overton, 49. Tom Helm, 50. Tom Moores (WK), 51. George Garton, 52. Tom Abell, 53. Alex Davies (WK), 54. Phil Salt, 55. Pat Brown, 56. Henry Brookes, 57. Tom Kohler-Cardmore, 58. Will Jacks, 59. Sam Hain, 60. Brydon Carse

Ex-International Players Out of Favor (but still dominating T20 or County Circuits): 61. Luke Wright, 62. Liam Plunkett, 63. Samit Patel, 64. Adam Lyth, 65. Ravi Bopara, 66. Gary Ballance, 67. Steven Finn

Others: 68. Ben Cox (WK), 69. Laurie Evans, 70. Richard Gleeson, 71. Sam Northeast, 72. Adam Hose, 73. Sam Wisniewski, 74. Daniel Bell-Drummond, 75. Joe Clarke*

*was named in Alex Hepburn rape trial and since been reprimanded. Doubt he will ever be selected for England

The Verdict

England’s ODI, T20I, and first string Test squad are stronger than India’s, but India’s second string Test squad AND depth of reserves is probably higher quality. I even had to pick Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings for the second string Test opening (given that it has taken a decade for England to replace Strauss-Cook in their first string squad, it is no surprise I had trouble in this regard).

England has an abundance of pace bowlers, but the next generation of batsmen have not yet been groomed.

Now, a lot of India’s players (50-75) were the youngsters emerging from the recent U-19 World Cups and IPL 2020 (post-COVID). Since The Hundred was cancelled last year, the English public were robbed of watching exciting young talent. Who knows, after the 2021 edition of The Hundred, maybe England’s depth can overpower India.

What do you think of England cricket team players right now? What will your England XIs be? COMMENT BELOW!

If you like this, check out the rest of our World XIs with Twists Here – Best Fielding XI, Best Commentators XI, and much more!

Copyright (2021: 2/13/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Image Courtesy: Ben StokesBen Sutherland CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Why The World Needs Sam Curran: Calm, Charismatic, Courageous

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said someone not named Albert Einstein.

In the world of cricket, there is one player who follows this advice closely—Sam Curran. Commonly known by commentators around the world as Sam “Makes Things Happen” Curran, when results are not going England’s way, you can always find Curran around the corner—trying new things and rescuing England time and again.

In the first T20I against South Africa, he bowled a match-winning spell of 3-28 along with a crucial 7*(3) finishing punch. Another game, and yet another important contribution from Sam Curran.

He is given this title for a reason—the lad never gives up hope. And this is exactly why he is one of my favorite players in the current cricket circuit.

Ask him to salvage Test matches in the lower order? Can do. Ask him to sit out for the Andersons and the Broad? No problem sir. Operate as a swing bowler, death bowler, gun fielder, opener, pinch-hitter, finisher?

Yep, been there. Done that.

Also Read: Sam Curran IPL Predictions, Unlucky cricketers (feat Simon Jones)

The Stats

The sample size in ODIs/T20Is is relatively small with 5/7 games respectively with uninspiring numbers of combined 39 runs and 14 wickets. Hence, we will only focus on his Tests and T20 stats.

Batting

Tests: 19 matches, 728 runs, best of 78, average 26.96, 3-50s
T20s: 85 matches, 1032 runs, best of 55*, average 19.47, 130.79 SR, 5-50s

Bowling

Tests: 19 matches, 41 wickets, 32.12 average, Best Match – 5/92, 2-4 fors
T20s: 85 matches, 79 wickets, 29.16 average, Best – 4/11, 2-4 fors

The numbers are not that spectacular, are they? Yet, numbers do not paint the whole picture. It his impact that is palpable.

My First Memory of Sam Curran

I am not sure I have ever seen a more sparkling introduction to Test cricket in recent memory.

India lost the 5-match series 4-1 although the series was closer than the score line suggested. Were India ever out of the series like 2011? No, but just whenever England seemed to lose their way, Sam came into the picture.

It all started in the first test at Edgbaston, which was the second Test for Curran.

In the first innings, from 6-224, he dragged England to 287 with a valiant 24(98). Next innings, he pulled England from 6-85 to 180 with an attacking 63 (103). In between, 3 wickets in space of 8 balls at Edgbaston to reduce India from 50-0 to 59-3.

He played a couple of other knocks like 78 (136) at Southampton, a few 40s here and there, and took important wickets.

Not the highest scorer, nor the highest wicket taker, but impactful nevertheless. Ending up winning England’s Man of the Series award and was deservedly, one of the breakout stars of 2018.

What Can We Learn From Sam Curran?

Since that Test debut, he has not got too many opportunities. With a bowling line up of Broad-Anderson-Woakes in Tests and Archer-Rashid-Jordan in limited overs, it is hard to find consistent opportunities. Heck, he even has to compete with his brother Tom for a spot.

Yet, as the South Africa match showed, whatever opportunities he gets, he makes the most out of it. Recently, in the IPL, he was one of the young stars for CSK amidst a dismal campaign. He bowled at the death, opened the innings, and finished a game or two as well.

So what can we learn from him?

The Lessons

  1. Quick Learner: Give him a new role, he will take a game or two to adjust and then you see immediate results. Good skill to have for a job application.
  2. Keep Curiosity Alive: There is never an age to stop learning. Ask questions, keep on learning.
  3. Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Literally strike that out. As a rule of thumb, master two trades and the rest is bonus. Having a primary and a secondary skill is crucial in today’s day and age. Then, you can go and become the jack of the rest of the trades.
  4. Be ready: Being Sam Curran may not always be easy. You are never guaranteed a game. Your role is not defined clearly. It does not matter. When your time comes, give it your all.
  5. Courage: When things are not going your way, keep on trying new things even if it may be risky. Volunteer for the pinch-hitter opener role. Pitch the ball up hoping for some swing. How about a slow cutter with a risk of getting hit?

As one of my good friends said,

If you ain’t dying, you ain’t living.

So take risks once in a while. It is going to be okay. Try new things, but never give up.

The Legacy

Currently we can see the impact these utility players have. India’s two games against Australia exposed a problem – a sixth bowling option. None of India’s batsman bowl and none of their bowlers bat.

Yes – the Pandyas, the Cummins, the Ben Stokes – are all necessary for a team’s success, but having one all-rounder only may not be enough.

This English limited over team is built of giants – Roy, Bairstow, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Archer, Rashid, and Stokes. Their legacy is forever etched in record books and cricketing legend.

Without their star power, England could not have won the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Yet, the world also needs the Liam Plunketts, the Moeen Alis, the Joe Denlies, and most definitely the Sam Currans. Whatever the team requires of them, they adapt and deliver. With a smile and without a grudge.

He has a long career ahead of him. The stats will improve. We can just sit back and enjoy Sam Curran’s presence—conquering the world one game at a time—calm, courageous, and charismatic.

Also Read: 10 Life Lessons from IPL, Cricket’s Reflections of Passion

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Image Courtesy: “Never Ever Give Up” – Geralt Pixabay

Top Commentary Highlights

What is the first thing that comes in your mind when you think of cricket highlights? Fast bowling wickets compilation? Catches Win Matches? Stylish Cover drives?

How about classic commentary highlights? Well, today we will discuss exactly that!

Last week, we created a Fantasy team of Commentators XI. Harsha Bhogle was our team captain, Gaurav Kapur the opener, and the dynamic duo of Simon Doull and Pommie Mbangwa as the fast bowlers.

So naturally we asked our Twitter audience to respond with #BestCommentary for:

  • Best #IPL2020 Commentary Highlights
  • Most Favorite Iconic Cricket Commentary Memory

Commentators come in all shapes and sizes—a few serious, others insightful, and some extremely hilarious.

Who is your favorite commentator? Bill Lawry, Michael Holding, Tony Greig, Ian Bishop, Richie Benaud, Ravi Shashtri? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!

Anyway, here are their twitter responses! So, sit back, relax, and watch some of the best cricket commentary videos!

There are lots of videos. Like a lot. Watch till the end for all the good ones.

The Tweets – Commentary Highlights

Here are the favorite IPL and cricketing memories from the fans in their own words. We have categorized the commentary in categories—The Jaw Drop, The Heartbreak, and The Critical, and then, some more.

The Jaw Drop feat Ravi Shastri

Here are some of the jaw dropping moments in recent cricketing history captured by iconic commentators.

1. Mohd Shamir Ansari (@ShamirMohd)

My Fav. #BestCommentary will be Ravi Shastri commentating on Yuvraj Singh Six sixes in an over to Stuart Broad in first T20 World Cup. And best #IPLT20 will be First time I saw sunny sir doing Hindi Commentary that was really an awesome moment for me

Yes Really It was very nice especially I was watching this match Live… So still remember those exciting sixes and commentary by Ravi Shastri.

What a great day for cricket. One just imagines what would have happened had Flintoff kept his cool to Yuvi that day?

2. Jonny (@Leathernwillow)

IPL comms just wash over me a bit. Sunny Gavaskar is the master of the box as much as he was at the crease, especially when he’s annoyed. KP’s ‘Pingo Pongo’ moments are fun. Best ever is Fazeer Mohammed “Why did he do that?!” to Gabriel’s brainfade against Yasir #BestCommentary

Try #RCBvSRH on 21 September as I checked and mentioned it that day. Also you’ve got to have Richie Benaud from Botham Headingley 1981 – “It went in to the confectionery stall and out again…”

3. Pratyush (@ps26_11)

For me, #BestCommentary All-Time – by Ravi Shastri Sir on India WC 2011 wining moment (Dhoni’s 6) ~ ” Dhoni finishes off in style..A magnificent strike into the crowd…India wins after 28 years…& it’s the Indian capt who’s been absolutely magnificent in the night of the final

Also Read: MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of an Era

The Ian Bishop

Ian Bishop recently celebrated his 53rd birthday at the IPL. With Harsha Bhogle, Mark Nicholas, and JP Duminy, the banter among the group was hilarious!

He has had so many iconic moments in recent times, that he deserves a category by himself.

1. JustCricket (@justcricketblog)

My fav in #IPL2020 Bish, Danny M, Mark Nicholas, Sanga . All time Nasser H. Favorite moment :normally love all the 3rd man and Masterclass segments(Nasser and Murali) in sky sports. But generally I think it’s Bishop calling brathwaite and Ravi S in natwest series #bestcommentary

2. Rahul Kumar (@rahulk_1019)

Mine from ipl is AB v steyn(SRH one) 2014.. Simon doull & ramiz raja in comm… All time fav.. Bit biased, will select two: 1) Ravi shastri calling Dhoni’s six, wc 2011 final 2) Bish in manchester 2019 wc “Surely the hopes have been ignited enough for them to be extinguished!”

“Can he? Can he really?” “The dream has diminished for CB, here in manchesterrr..”

Watching late at night.. Was preparing for the exams..but couldn’t take my eyes off.. Even after the fall of 7th wkt.. For some reason didn’t switch it off… Treated with a phenomenal & memorable game.. The heart sank but was a special knock from brathwaitte..

Wow what a memory! The detail is impeccable. What would have happened had Boult dropped the catch?

Which Bish phrase is your favorite? Remember the Name“, ” The Dream is Alive”, or “The Dream is Diminished”?

The Heartbreak feat Ian Smith

1. My Favorite Commentary Highlight (@cricket_broken)
  1. Best #IPL2020 moment – Sanga-Mahela banter
  2. All-Time – “Grant Elliot – Superman! by Ian Smith

Joy for New Zealand, heartbreak for South Africa.

4 years later, heartbreak for New Zealand, joy for England. How the tables turn.

2. Arnob (@Arnobchitchats)

#BestCommentary for me is certainly by Ian Smith from CWC 2019 Final written below:-

“This is the moment – it’s Archer to Guptill. Two to win. Guptill’s got to push for two, they’ve gotta go! The throw’s gotta go to the keeper’s end. He’s got it! England have won the World Cup – by the barest of margins. By the barest of all margins.”#BestCommentary Chilling!

Want more New Zealand? Here is Starc’s 6-28 in that breathtaking finish.

The Critical

Not all commentary is hilarious or heartbreaking. Some commentary moments deal with serious cricketing issues.

  1. Vandit – West Indies T20 League Exodus

2011 Pakistan Vs West Indies ODI. The highlight was Michael Holding exclaiming, “I was told he played in the IPL this morning. I almost fell over. A feather duster could have knocked me over”

2. Here is another serious commentary by Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain on Muhammad Amir’s comeback following the Spot Fixing ban. Do watch the full interview here.

The Best Commentary Highlights

1. Sparsh Telang (@_cricketsparsh)

#BestCommentary Harsha Bhogle: “Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. We are ready for the take-off.” This was when AB started his innings with a bang in one IPL match.

Did not find the exact Harsha video but here is Harsha Bhogle at his very best.

2. Tony Greig – Sharjah Sachin Tendulkar

3. YouTube – Best Commentary
4. Richie Benaud – BBC Tribute

Here is the BBC Tribute to Richie Benaud’s marvelous career, both as a player and a commentator. Here are some of his other Benaud’s other best moments.

5. My Personal Favorite – That. Is. Very. Good.

Any other videos or memories? Comment below and send us your favorite commentary highlights!

What did you think of the videos, the tweets, and the article? Please let us know by commenting below. Subscribe to our blog for more such articles and follow us on twitter/facebook!

Also Read:

Sources: ICC, YouTube, IPLT20.com

Image Courtesy: Ravi Shastri – Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Top 7 Most Popular Cricket Videos

This week in our segment, Cricket ABCs -For New Future Fans, we will relive some of the most popular cricket videos in the last decade. The goal of this section is to try to explain the game of cricket to your new friends. And the best way to explain is by Videos.

Last time, we went over the rules of cricket. So now, let us learn cricket by watching some videos in different categories – fielding, bowling, and batting.

We are only using videos over the last 10 years for two reasons: (1) since the game has evolved over the years, and (2) enhanced video quality.

Below each video is a description and the number of views on YouTube (and still rising) for your reference. Here is my compilation of the most popular cricket videos.

Comment below on your favorite videos, and share this with new fans who are trying to learn cricket. Enjoy!

Videos

1. Best Catches – WC 2019 Edition

Starting where we left off in our last article over Best Fielders, we relive some of the best catches of the 2019 Cricket World Cup. There were diving catches, acrobatic boundary efforts, wicket-keeper excellence, and much more.

Views: 10 million

2. Best Yorkers – WC 2019 Edition

Moving on to bowling. One of the ways of getting batsmen out is by hitting the wickets, known as – ‘bowled.’ The most pleasing way for a bowled is for a toe-crushing ‘yorker.’ Enjoy this video on the Best Yorkers from the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Views: 20 million

3. Mitchell Johnson – Bouncer Compilation

Continuing with bowling, we look at the ‘Bouncer.’ This is a tactic used by bowlers to intimidate the batsman, and in the process, driving a mistake out of them. Mitchell Johnson in 2013-14 became one of the best and scariest bowlers, when he single-handedly destroyed a generation of the English team.

Views: 1.7 million

4. Biggest Sixes – WC 2019 Edition

Moving to batting. While bowlers and fielders try to restrict the number of runs the batting team can score, the batting team tries to score as many as possible. The most runs that a team can get from one ball is from a six, when the ball goes out of the stadium without bouncing. Here are the biggest sixes from the 2019 cricket world cup.

Views: 4.6 million

5. Dinesh Karthik’s Day Out

This one is also batting excellence. One of the best viewings of a cricket match happens when a game is thriller. This video is on a T20 game, where after 4 hours, there was little to separate the two sides. Bangladesh were ahead with just about 15 minutes to go in the Final of the Nidahas Trophy, when Dinesh Karthik scripted a once-in-a-lifetime comeback.

Views: 98.9 million (Let us see if we can take to a 100 million views!)

6. Dinesh Karthik Part II

Oh and that was not the end. You thought 98 million is a lot. How about 169 million views and counting? Watch Dinesh Karthik seal the tournament final with a last ball six.

7. The Most Epic Ending of All

Speaking of last-ball thrillers, how about leave the best for last? World Cup Final Super Over tie. For all the non-cricketing fans, both the actual match and the overtime, called the Super Over, were tied.

Ian Smith, the commentator, summarized it best, “7 weeks of cricket, 48 games, and one ball.”

Views: 6.7 million

For this final, you can also watch the entire highlights here (33 million), the final over here (33 million), and just the Super Over here (7.8 million)

What are your favorite cricket memories? Comment below, share, and subscribe!

Sources: YouTube-2019 Cricket World Cup, ICC- What is Cricket?, YouTube-Cricket Australia, YouTube – Sri Lanka Cricket

Rethinking the ODI World Cup format: What is the Best ODI World Cup format?

Is there a thing such as the best ODI World Cup format?

Ireland Vs England, 3rd ODI. What a game yesterday. Twin centuries by the seniors Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie with ample support from Harry Tector and the evergreen Kevin O’Brien, Ireland chased 329 against the World Cup holders, albeit without the likes of Stokes, Butler, and Archer.

That certainly does not take anything away from Ireland and breathes life into the new ODI Super League. So it is ideal to reflect on the ODI World Cup Super League (WSL) and current World Cup format now.

Does the ODI Super League and the World Cup provide enough exposure to grow cricket worldwide?

In a scathing review of the 2019 Cricket World Cup (CWC) format, the late Martin Crowe wrote an article proposing an innovate format where the teams and audience both benefit while the game still grows. The 40-over World Cup would consist of a pre-tournament qualifier, a two group conference based competition involving 18 teams, followed by a best of three semi-final and a Grand Finale. Although we provide another solution, this is a good template to reference.

Also Read: 2023 ICC World Cup Qualifier (The Complete Guide), World Cup All-Time XI

ODI Super League – Good or Bad?

As a whole, I think the ODI Super League is a good idea. The top 13 teams in the world play a total of 8 three-match series (4 home/ 4 away) for a total of 24 games. The top 7 sides, along with the next World Cup hosts, qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the bottom five along with 5 associate play a qualifying tournament for the final two spots. This sounds a balanced format, unlike the World Test Championships, but the WSL still has major flaws.

Currently, the 12 test-playing nations are permanent ODI members, while the next 8 teams have temporary ODI status, with only one, the Netherlands qualifying for the ODI Super league.

In what world does this make any sense? If anything, the teams with temporary ODI status should have more exposure to the game so they can prove that they deserve the status. If only one out of the 8 teams is given a chance, it is likely that the one team will get better while the others lose their ODI status and eventually, their respective golden generations.

Finally, the qualifying tournaments in cricket do not provide any value. More often then not, the Associate Teams battle out the qualifiers, where several good teams miss out due to D/L method or a couple of tight games. Even Test-playing nations like Zimbabwe and Ireland missed out on the 2019 World Cup. Simply, the system is rigged against the Associate and lower-ranked nations.

What Should Happen

The current World Cup Super League should be expanded to all 20 teams, and the qualifying tournament should be eliminated altogether. More games should be allocated to the league so each team gets to play an equal number of opponents in each ranking tier (Tier 1: Rank 1-7, Tier 2: Rank 8-14, Tier 3: Rank 15-20). At the end of the four-year period, the top 15 teams qualify for the world cup automatically.

ODI World Cup Format

Group Stage: 3 Groups, 5 Teams Each – Top 3 from group qualify to the next round (30 games)

Super 9s: 3 groups, 3 Teams Each – Groups contain teams that have not played each other earlier (9 games)

Semis + 3rd Place Play-off: Top 3 + 4th ranked team from Super 9s (3 games)

Grand Finale: 1 game

Benefits:

  • Each team plays at least 4 games, so neither do we see a repeat of the 2007 World Cup where both India/Pakistan were eliminated prematurely, nor do we see several one-sided affairs.
  • 15 teams participate – the game grows
  • Each match is meaningful
  • Tournament is 43 matches long, five less than current format. Not quite Martin Crowe’s 18-team vision, but still a valid proposal.

Conclusion

The argument for the 2019 World Cup was that it would be competitive. At the end, only about 10 out the 48 games were close, it took Sri Lanka upsetting England 2 weeks in the tournament for the world cup to open up, and the 4-pre tournament favorites made the semi-finals. If we could just detach ourselves from that final, we could sum 2019 CWC in one word— Predictable.

Meanwhile, Ireland chased 300+ vs England (2011) and West-Indies (2015), Scotland upset England on the eve of the World Cup, and Afghanistan’s rise is a shining example. What else do the Associate nations need to do?

What is your ideal ODI world cup format? Please comment below and don’t forget to share and subscribe for more!

Sources: ESPNCricinfo

Image courtesy of caribbeancricket / Ryan / CC BY creative commons license, some rights reserved.