The 2023 Cricket World Cup

by Duty281 Mon 18 Sep 2023, 1:09 pm

First topic message reminder :

After the drama-free finish to the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the 2023 Cricket World Cup will finally get under way on the 5th October, having been initially delayed by Covid and then threatened by a Pakistani boycott.

England are the defending champions, and they're also the reigning T20 World Champions. Doubleplusgood, eh? They're looking to be the first nation to win consecutive ODI World Cups since the Aussie vintage of 1999-2007. Biggest adversaries to that are likely to be India, who haven't won a major global competition since the 2013 Champions Trophy, but will no doubt be heartened by the knowledge that the last three ODI World Cups have been won by a host nation.

Five-time winners Australia can never be ruled out, while Pakistan are fueled by a burning motivation to win the World Cup in the homeland of their greatest rivals. New Zealand have made the last two finals - losing the last on boundary count, would you believe? - and will hope to make the final step this year.

South Africa will presumably think they're due to win something, as they've not won a global competition since the 1998 Champions Trophy, while the Afghans will believe they can spin anyone into submission. Bangladesh will be hoping to make a sizable impact at the ODI World Cup for the first time.

Sri Lanka breezed through qualifying and will be encouraged by making the recent Asia Cup final, even if they did get hammered in said final. The Netherlands round off the ten teams after performing minor miracles in qualification, which of course means the West Indies, the winners of the first two ODI World Cups, will be missing out on this tournament for the very first time.

The ten-team format for the World Cup remains as simple as ever. Ten teams all play each other once, and the top four teams in the group at the end of it go through to the semi-finals, where it becomes a straight knockout. 48 matches total. There will be reserve days for the three knockout matches and, if necessary, Super Overs. But you can't win games on boundary count anymore...

Fixtures:

Tournament Odds:

Squad Lists (Teams have until the 28th September to finalise their squads):

by Duty281 Wed 18 Oct 2023, 2:01 pm

That's one of the worst reviews I've seen at this World Cup.

by GSC Wed 18 Oct 2023, 2:26 pm

Both openers gone pretty early, might be back to business as usual in this WC

by GSC Wed 18 Oct 2023, 3:18 pm

Wicket each for the seamers and nothing really being given away. Professional performance so far after the recent upsets

by KP_fan Wed 18 Oct 2023, 3:25 pm

NZ got 30 odd more than Afg should have allowed them to....their seamers needed to take more pace off and they shud have used Nabi's overs fully

and had they held all catches perhaps 50 runs could have been reduced

NZ has luxury of 4 spin option, Philipps, Matthews, Ravindra and Santner...Afg need to go after spinners...they bat deep....and if they get to 250+ they are still keeping themselves somewhat in the reckoning for a top-6 finish

by GSC Wed 18 Oct 2023, 4:37 pm

Well that was over pretty quick

by VTR Wed 18 Oct 2023, 4:47 pm

GSC wrote:Well that was over pretty quick

Shows how awful England were the other day!

by Duty281 Wed 18 Oct 2023, 5:16 pm

That all ended swiftly, Afghanistan seemed to throw it in towards the end.

NZ's record now 4-0. They only need two more wins from the remaining five to be in the semis, and they've got India/Aus/SA/Pak/SL to come. The India game is basically a free hit, and at the end they should comfortably dispatch SL, so it's just a matter of finding one win from those middle three games and, on current form, I don't think NZ will be frightened of anyone.

Fair play to NZ. I had them down as one of the four who would be battling for the last semi-final place, but they've just cruised it easily thus far, with four very comfortable wins.

Bangladesh/India tomorrow. Astonishingly, unbelievably, according to Cricinfo this is the first ODI between the two to be played in India since 1998. Bangladesh's prospects are hanging by a thread, and it's difficult to make much of a case for them tomorrow beyond the old 'puncher's chance'. Should they lose then their record will go to 1-3, which is almost a case of goodnight.

by GSC Wed 18 Oct 2023, 5:44 pm

Honestly looked more like Afghanistan threw it in after both openers were out.

by KP_fan Wed 18 Oct 2023, 7:48 pm

The thing with minnows is to win they need many low probability ducks aligned....which doesn't happen consistently and 2 games in a row is extreme rarity

For eg.....Afg's weaker suit is batting and so their batters have to play one of the best innings of life time to get them to a par total
Like their WK and opener did in last game

Then their probability of winning whatever it is drops to half when they chase.....because they are weak in batting anyway and chasing requires strong batting...so it was a mistake to field first by them.

And finally they would have needed more spin in the pitch, even if they batted first and got a fighting score... then there was today .
It seemed like 3.5/ 10 pitch compared to 5/10 in Delhi.

SL are the only team with no win but they will hope to open their account on Sat vs NED
Aus, Eng, Ned, BD, Afg all with a win apiece with Ned & Afg against top sides.

by Duty281 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 10:27 am

This is a positive start from Bangladesh. Tanzid has just taken Thakur for 16 runs, and Bangladesh are 63/0 after ten. Pandya limped off earlier. Time for spin.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 19 Oct 2023, 10:46 am

Pandya injury would be a potential disaster for India - like Stokes in 2019, he provides the balance to their side and attack.

by James100 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 10:59 am

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Pandya injury would be a potential disaster for India - like Stokes in 2019, he provides the balance to their side and attack.

Yep. Though may actually strengthen the front-line bowling as they'll bring in Shami or Ashwin for Shardul—and SKY is a downgrade on Hardik's batting but not too severely. Kohli consistently as the sixth bowler will be worrying for them though, and Ashwin/Shami at 8 weakens the lower order.

by Duty281 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 11:06 am

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Pandya injury would be a potential disaster for India - like Stokes in 2019, he provides the balance to their side and attack.

And he's not coming back for the rest of the innings, so that leaves India a bit short for this game and indicates the severity of the injury.

by KP_fan Thu 19 Oct 2023, 12:14 pm

If India did want one guy to get injured it's Pandya...the only genuine seam bowling all-rounder.

For Jadeja here is Axar and Washigton

Anyway we have to wait for scan results to see how bad is the ankle sprain
if it's less than grade-3 sprain, you could be walking or even running in a week as long as you don't have rotate the ankle....so he can be fucntional wearing a sleeve that make joint immobile.

even a 2/3rd fit pandya is worth a place in 11

ELSE
India cannot afford a bowler in his place.
They have to have a batter.....they can play SKY or bring in Shivam Dube, Rinku singh or Washington as batters who can bowl seam, part time spin and frontline spin respectively

by KP_fan Thu 19 Oct 2023, 12:36 pm

On the game itself

India has pulled BD back...the pitch is true.....not in a Patta belter, but more like an Aussie true pitch with bounce , that you can hit through the line....and the spinners are getting something ( 3.5/10)

Pandya should be able to bat and anything less than 300 will not trouble India

320 upwards only will make India sweat

by Duty281 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 1:33 pm

256. Highly disappointing for Bangladesh after an enterprising start. India gradually reeled them in with spin bowling, excellent catches, and the accurate bowling of Bumrah (even if he was hit for six off the last ball!).

The pitch looked a beauty for batting and the boundaries are very short, so I don't believe Bangladesh are anywhere close to a defendable score. They're also missing Shakib, he wasn't included in the team today due to injury, so that's a hit to their bowling.

Elsewhere, Stokes has confirmed his fitness and is almost certain to play v South Africa on Saturday.

by Duty281 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 5:03 pm

Crushing win for India. Didn't break a sweat, scoring 261/3 in 41.3 overs. Kohli getting to his hundred with a six that brought the winning runs, so a carnival atmosphere in Pune. King of the group stages, no doubt, but will Kohli be able to turn it on in the KO stages?

Moves India to 4-0, alongside NZ. Those teams actually meet on Sunday so, as they say in boxing, someone's 0 will have to go. It should go a long way to decide to 1st/2nd in the final standings.

Bangladesh are now 1-3 and it's nearly all over for them. They'll somehow have to conjure at least four wins from the remaining five to make the semis, which will involve them needing to beat a minimum of two from SA/Pak/Aus. I'm pretty happy to write them off now.

Virtually secure - New Zealand + India
Good progress - Pakistan
In the hunt - South Africa
On life support - Australia, England
Brown bread - Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Netherlands

Tomorrow sees Australia v Pakistan, an excellent match-up that could go either way, with a lot riding on it. I see the tipping competition is very split on this one. Australia can ill-afford to go 1-3, while Pakistan have not yet beaten anyone of note and would like to positively rebound after losing to India. A Pakistan win is one-foot-in-the-semis territory. I am narrowly favouring Pakistan due to Australia's troubles with the bat. This is the 18th match, and it might be the first down-to-the-wire finish we get.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 19 Oct 2023, 7:29 pm

The end to that India Bangladesh match was embarrassing. India prioritising an individual landmark over team, and umpire Kettlebrough not giving wides to ensure Kohli made the landmark too.

Kinda sums up the tournament to date really - total farce all round

by Duty281 Thu 19 Oct 2023, 8:11 pm

I didn't mind India prioritising Kohli's century, it wasn't as if the result was in doubt.

Kettleborough should have signalled a wide, yes, that would have brought it down to one to win. Perhaps he feared that if he did signal wide then Bangladesh would bowl another, which may have triggered a riot? Maybe a common sense ruling, if not a legally acceptable one.

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 8:33 am

When a side is marching like Indians are you have to look at chinks along with their strengths

What are India' weaknesses?

1- Lacks of batting depth even in normal times
they have shardul / Ashwin at 8...both presumably are bowling allrounders
But shardul has never played an inning of note in white ball and ashwin too is a test match batter
and 9/10/11 arr classic old fashioned bunnies.

so in normal times Ind needs 40odd in 6 overs and 6 wkts down.....the remainder of batting will struggle to haul them over.

2- Dependence on Pandya for balance

if it's not a grade-3 sprain then he should be able to put full load on the ankle and run in a weeks time with some kind of support splints
so he should be back for the Eng game say reports BUT if he rotates / twists that ankle again....it will be bad ( ouch painful too)

without Pandya if India adds another bowler...the shallow batting is weakened further ...so they will have to add a batter ( SKY most likely)and down to 5 bowlers...and there are no practicing part-times left
( so Kohli. Rohit & SKY will all have to be ready to roll arm over)

Without Pandya balance is further exacerbated if its a 7/10 spin pitch...and India plays 3 spinners i.e Ashwin for Shardul and now they are down to 2 seamers only ...the cushion of a 3rd seamer gone totally.

If India does play Pandya in a 6 bowler line up as reports indicate they will from the Eng game onwards....they should bowl him as little as possible, try to win without his bowling and leave his bowling as a cushion in the side for crunch games

3- The last but not least...India has not been tested defending a total in this world cup so far

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 8:44 am

On the Pak vs Aus game....BCCI's pitch is green & hard

Shane Watson on green pitch prepared for Pakistan Australia match - "The pitch at M Chinnaswamy Stadium Bengaluru is a rock hard." #PAKvAUS

The 2023 Cricket World Cup - Page 11 F83zqh10

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:21 am

Pakistan have put Australia in, obviously keen to test that rickety Australian batting order.

Australia unchanged, but Pakistan have put Usama in for Shadab, which leaves a very long tail.

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:25 am

Pakistan putting Australia's batting under pressure early after winning the toss then

Probably the first big game in terms of getting out of the group. Australia lose and they're right on the brink of elimination, Pakistan lose and they're 0-2 against the "bigger" sides in the tournament.

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:35 am

Bowling captains seem to get nervous if they ever have two reviews to use in this tournament

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:52 am

Well, safe to say that those really have to be taken. Warner gets a life

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:52 am

Usama Mir did a "Son you dropped the cup " moment

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:58 am

Pitch has bounce and ball coming off the pitch quick...and so batters are shade late getting into the shots...and there is seam off the pitch
and seam movement will get exaggerated under lights as I see it.

Pak needed their seam bowling allrounder in place of Mir
275 ish the par to me

by guildfordbat Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:09 am

GSC wrote:Well, safe to say that those really have to be taken. Warner gets a life

Yes, dreadful miss by Mir. Poor as well by Warner assuming the chance would be taken and not running a single.

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:16 am

The wheels have rather come off a bit after that drop Pakistan need a bit of luck to regroup

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:19 am

Cobwebs dusted, Rust polished...Aussie machine is rolling
Pak has not helped their cause by missing a 4th seamer on this pitch
finger spinner inside 10 overs is meat and drinks on a pitch with true bounce and pace

wrist spinner may have some impact

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:19 am

Yep, a dreadful miss and it seems to have destroyed Pakistani morale. That and the Australian assault!

Mir in to bowl. He owes his team a few...

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:31 am

100 up in 12.3 overs. Shocked

Brought up off a filthy full toss, which rather sums it up for Pakistan so far. You can't lose a game bowling first in 12.3 overs, but you can go a very long way to doing so!

Think Pakistan need to gamble and bring Shaheen back. They need wickets.

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:39 am

Warner might want to be careful about hitting this stand after the last game

by Marky Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:43 am

KP_fan wrote:
Pitch has bounce and ball coming off the pitch quick...and so batters are shade late getting into the shots...and there is seam off the pitch
and seam movement will get exaggerated under lights as I see it.

Pak needed their seam bowling allrounder in place of Mir
275 ish the par to me

At this rate they'll be past 275 inside 40 overs Laugh

by GSC Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:50 am

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 10:50 am

I think it's probably a 350, maybe even 375, par wicket. There was a bit there for the new ball, but since then absolutely nothing and the boundaries are tiny.

But from this position Australia should be targeting 400+. Maybe the first 500....?

by VTR Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:06 am

What a relief to see M Marsh score more than 10 against a team other than England

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:09 am

Duty281 wrote:I think it's probably a 350, maybe even 375, par wicket. There was a bit there for the new ball, but since then absolutely nothing and the boundaries are tiny.

But from this position Australia should be targeting 400+. Maybe the first 500....?

I don't think Pak will cross 275
Th Aussies are scoring like they are not because it's a 400 par pitch...but because I see Pak has collapsed mentally

by alfie Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:33 am

OK I think we can forget about " a close game at last " : Australia look on for 400 here !

Doubt they'll actually get that many but I'll be surprised if they don't get enough to kill this as a contest. KP_fan might be on the money with his mental collapse theory ...

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:37 am

208/0 after 30.

428 is the WC record for highest score, set at this World Cup.

Warner goes to 100 in 85 balls. Penny for Mir's thoughts?

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:47 am

Rashid Khan 0/110 (9 overs); Snedden 2/105 (12 overs); Holder 1/104 (10 overs); Zadran 2/101 (10 overs).

That's the unwelcome list of bowlers who have conceded 100+ runs in an innings at a World Cup. Haris Rauf closing in on it if he bowls a few more!

And another drop! Tougher chance, but still. Might be injured too. All going wrong.

Highest opening partnership at a World Cup is 282, between Tharanga and Dilshan against Zimbabwe in 2011. Highest ever WC partnership is 372 between Gayle and Samuels, also against Zimbabwe, in 2015.

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:51 am

Aus aught to send Maxwell & Stoinis next.

No space left for Smith or Manis now

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:54 am

Absolutely. It's just T20 stuff now until the end.

Shaheen finally coming back, about 20 overs too late.

by Marky Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:06 pm

KP_fan wrote:Aus aught to send Maxwell & Stoinis next.

No space left for Smith or Manis now

Sending Maxwell in and him getting out first ball was great Laugh

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:09 pm

balls from the Pak wrist spinner started turning and Pak won't be happy to see that

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:16 pm

Warner on track for a double hundred...unless this jinxes him The 2023 Cricket World Cup - Page 11 1f601

by Duty281 Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:19 pm

Shaheen's just pulled it back a little, he should have been on earlier, and now Mir has picked up Smith cheaply.

Just about hanging in Pakistan. If they keep it below 400 it's not all over.

by Marky Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:40 pm

KP_fan wrote:Warner on track for a double hundred...unless this jinxes him

It worked

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 12:40 pm

Not a 200 today...but the highest score of this world cup

by KP_fan Fri 20 Oct 2023, 1:09 pm

commentators are discussing who Head will replace when he is availbale

I think Stoinis has worked himself as the replacement

slow to react to pace or change of pace....reviews a middle of middle plumb with feigned confidence
His bowling is hardly needed

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