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NEW DELHI : India's success off the field has not been matched by their performances on it at World Cups over the last decade but with a near-perfect buildup, familiar conditions and recent history on their side, the hosts are favourites to end their title drought.
When Sri Lanka clinched a shock 1996 World Cup triumph, Dunith Wellalage and Matheesha Pathirana were not even born, but the rising stars head to India determined to repeat the victory. Both aged 20, fast bowler Pathirana and all-rounder Wellalage are undeterred by facing childhood heroes at the tournament that opens on October 5. "We are looking forward to bringing the World Cup back to Sri Lanka," Pathirana told AFP.
Three cricketers, considered the backbone of Bangladesh's golden generation, are expected to make their swansong at the World Cup, after dragging their side up from whipping-boy status over 15 years. When Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad came onto the scene in the mid-2000s, Bangladesh were mostly embarrassing as a national side. But over the years they shed the pushover tag, especially in one-day internationals -- the format used in the World Cup starting in India next week.
Cricket is a gentlemen's game, but not always! While the fans witness true sportsmanship on the field of cricket more often than not, sometimes they also get to see some really ugly and disappointing moments. During a Celebrity Cricket League match between filmmakers Mostafa Kamal Raz and Dipankar Dipon in Bangladesh, the two teams turned the cricket contest into a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) match. Reports suggest that the fight occured following a wrong decision of the umpire and add that around 6 players got injured during the scuffle.
With the aim of crossing the 100-medal mark in the 2023 Asian Games, the Indian contingent fired on all cylinders, right from day 1. Shooters and rowers helped the nation open its medal account in the Hangzhou Games while the Indian women's cricket team delivered a historic gold medal by defeating Sri Lanka in the final. However, India's first gold medal came in shooting in the Men's 10m Air Rifle Team event. The trio of Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar got India the top podium spot with a World Record effort. (Asian Games Medals Tally)
Virat Kohli will be featuring in his fourth ODI World Cup as Team India look to end a 10-year drought for an ICC trophy. Kohli, who made his World Cup debut in 2011, was part of the MS Dhoni-led side that defeated Sri Lanka to lift the trophy in Mumbai. After overcoming a rough patch, Kohli has been in tremendous form this year in ODIs, scoring five centuries, while also becoming the fastest batter to register 13,000 runs in the format. With 47 ODI centuries in total, Kohli is on the cusp of surpassing his idol Sachin Tendulkar's all-time tally of 49 as he gets set to lead India's charge at the World Cup.
Australian cricket team fast bowler Mitchell Starc started his preparation for Cricket World Cup 2023 on a perfect note as he claimed a hat-trick during the warm-up match against Netherlands on Saturday. The veteran pacer struck on the fifth ball of the first over of the Netherlands innings as he trapped Max O'Dowd LBW with an in-swinger that nipped back late. One ball later, it was Wesley Barresi who fell victim to his pace as he tricked him with another in-swinger that crashed into the top of the off-stump. Starc had to wait one over to get his hat-trick but he made no mistake as Bas de Leede was clean bowled on the first ball of the third over with yet another in-swinger.
The ODI World Cup 2023 has had a far from ideal start with rain ruining the preparations of many teams.