The countdown to one of cricket’s most anticipated events, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, has begun with squads from all ten participating nations now officially announced. With just under ten days remaining before the tournament kicks off, cricket fans worldwide are eagerly dissecting the line-ups and speculating on who might emerge as this year’s champions.
The Unveiling of Squads
The finalization of the 15-player squads took place in dramatic fashion, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh being the last to reveal their selections for the Cricket World Cup 2023. According to ICC rules, all participating teams were required to announce their squads before September 28. Any subsequent changes or replacements would only be permitted after approval from the ICC board.
The tournament is set to begin on October 5, with a thrilling opener between the finalists of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, England and New Zealand. The stage for this epic encounter is the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.
Let’s take a closer look at the squads of the ten competing teams:
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India Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Vice-Captain: Hardik Pandya
- Players: Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
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Pakistan Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Babar Azam
- Vice-Captain: Shadab Khan
- Players: Abdullah Shafique, Faqar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-Ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Salman Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir.
- Reserve players: Mohammad Harris, Ibrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan.
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Australia Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Pat Cummins
- Players: Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
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England Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Jos Buttler
- Players: Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
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New Zealand Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Kane Williamson
- Vice-Captain: Tom Latham (wk)
- Players: Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.
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South Africa Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Temba Bavuma
- Players: Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen.
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Sri Lanka Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Dasun Shanaka
- Vice-Captain: Kusal Mendis
- Players: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka.
- Reserve player: Chamika Karunaratne
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Bangladesh Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Shakib al Hasan
- Vice-Captain: Litton Das
- Players: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.
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Afghanistan Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Hashmatullah Shahidi
- Players: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Riaz Hassan.
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Netherlands Team ICC World Cup Squad 2023
- Captain: Scott Edwards
- Players: Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.
All participating teams still have a couple of days to make any necessary modifications to their squads, especially considering the fresh injury concerns some teams are facing. Several key players have already been ruled out, while others remain doubtful for the month-long ODI tournament.
The Exciting Fixtures Ahead
The excitement continues to build as cricket enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the thrilling clashes that lie ahead. Host nation India will kick off their campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai, while a highly anticipated encounter between India and arch-rivals Pakistan awaits on October 15 in Ahmedabad. The tournament’s opening match between England and New Zealand promises to deliver the same fireworks that captivated fans during the memorable 2019 edition, making it an event no cricket lover will want to miss.