Tag: ICC World Cup 2023

England coach Matthew Mott on Sunday said the team remains an “incredibly tight-knit unit” despite a 100-run thrashing by India which condemned the defending champions to a fifth defeat at the ICC World Cup 2023.

Mott’s claims came after former England captain Eoin Morgan insisted that there were splits in the camp which were causing the champions to underperform during the ICC World Cup 2023.

“I’ve never come across a sports team that has underperformed like this, given the level of expectation,” 2019 World Cup winning skipper Morgan told Sky Sports.

“There’s something within the team that is definitely unsettled. I think there’s something else going on – there has to be.”

However, Mott was quick to refute the claims.

“I don’t think that at all. I think anyone that’s inside our tent at the moment would say that despite our results, we’re an incredibly tight-knit unit,” he said.

“I can only say from my opinion the group’s been incredibly strong in that part. If you see our training sessions, they’re full of fun. People are putting their arm around each other, trying to help them.”

Pressed on the topic and Mott said: “Eoin’s entitled to his opinion. He’s obviously been away for a couple of weeks with the birth of his child.

“He hasn’t been in and around the rooms, but I’ll certainly take that up with him and have a chat to him.”

Watch ICC World Cup 2023 Live on ARY ZAP

Jos Buttler’s England suffered a fifth loss in six games at the ICC World Cup 2023 to all but slip out of the semi-final race.

Their bowlers kept India down to 229-9, but the batting once again collapsed to 129 all out against an Indian attack led by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

England’s batting folded for 156 in their previous loss to Sri Lanka, but Mott said the team will not throw in the towel in their next three matches.

“I think it’s tough. I’m sick of coming up and speaking to you guys about the same thing, but that’s what professional sport is,” he said.

“And we’ve got to keep pushing hard here. We’ve got a fair bit to play for to the back end of this tournament.”

“The first half we did our job the second half was one would rather forget and we’ve got to find a way. There’s some world-class players in there that unfortunately aren’t scoring the runs that they’re used to scoring.”

England languish bottom of the 10-team table with a chance of missing out on the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the top seven teams from this World Cup and hosts Pakistan are expected to compete.

However, Mott said they got to know about the qualification scenario only “about an hour and a half ago”.

“Well, the ICC (International Cricket Council) do change the rules quite a bit with qualification and to be honest I don’t think it would affect in any way the way we’ve played in this tournament so it’s not a big deal,” said Mott.

READ: India defend 230 against England to stay perfect in World Cup 2023

The top seven sides at the conclusion of the group stage of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, besides hosts Pakistan, will qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ESPN Cricinfo reported Sunday.

Defending champions Pakistan will get a direct qualification, regardless of where the men in green finish their World Cup campaign, since they are the hosts of the eight-team tournament, which will mark its return after eight years.

According to the details, an ICC spokesperson confirmed to ESPN Cricinfo, that the qualification scenario for the Champions Trophy 2025 was approved by the ICC Board in 2021 when the multi-national tournament was brought back.

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However, several nations’ cricket boards including those, who are not participating in the ongoing World Cup, were not aware of the Champions Trophy 2025 qualification being dependent on the results of the mega event.

Consequently, notable cricketing nations like West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe, who failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup will not feature in the Champions Trophy 2025.

For the unversed, ICC, in November 2021, announced a series of international cricket competitions for both men and men in the 2024–2031 cycle, which also features the 2025 and 2029 Champions Trophy editions.

Moreover, the ICC had said in a statement that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be an eight-tournament and the structure “will follow previous editions with two groups of four, semi-finals and final”.

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It is worth mentioning here that for the 2013 and 2017 editions of the Champions Trophy, The top eight teams in the ODI rankings at a certain cut-off date were eligible to feature in the tournament.

Notably, the Champions Trophy 2025 qualification scenario was highlighted this week by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan following his side’s upset defeat against the Netherlands.

“I mean, not the semi-final hope. It is not a semi-final possibility,” said Shakib.

At least, do a little better. Suppose, you have to be in the [top] ranking 8 if you want to play in the Champions Trophy. So, there are still three matches left considering that in mind.”

READ: Pakistan penalized following loss against South Africa

Dushmantha Chameera has been called into Sri Lanka’s ICC World Cup 2023 squad after fellow paceman Lahiru Kumara was ruled out through injury, the tournament’s event technical committee announced Sunday.

The 31-year-old Chameera, a veteran of 44 one-day internationals, was selected after Kumara was sidelined by a left thigh muscle injury sustained during training in Pune, where Sri Lanka play Afghanistan on Monday.

Kumara took 3-35 in Sri Lanka’s eight-wicket thrashing of defending champions England in Bengaluru on Thursday.

That success was one of just two victories 1996 World Cup winners Sri Lanka have managed in their opening five games of this edition.

They are, however, currently fifth in the ICC World Cup 2023 points table and still in with a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Chameera becomes Sri Lanka’s third injury replacement at the World Cup after Chamika Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews.

Last week, former skipper Angelo Mathews was called into the Sri Lanka squad to replace injured fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana.

Meanwhile, Chamika Karunaratne replaced the regular captain Dasun Shanaka, after he suffered a quad injury.

Sri Lanka are slated to face Afghanistan tomorrow in Pune, with both teams having the same points, however, Afghanistan is placed at the seventh position in the points table due to a lower net run rate.

Sri Lanka’s updated ICC World Cup 2023 squad

Kusal Mendis (c)(wk), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne

READ: Pakistan penalized following loss against South Africa

DUBAI: Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team’s dismal campaign in the ICC World Cup 2023 sustained another blow as the team was penalised by the International Cricket Council for keeping a slow over-rate against South Africa.

Pakistan were found to be four overs short during South Africa’s batting innings in Chennai and were handed a penalty of 20 percent of their match fee.

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The ICC Code of Conduct states that players will be fined five percent of their match fee for every over that is failed to be bowled in the allotted time.

On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Richard Kettleborough levelled the charge after Pakistan’s loss to South Africa.

And Pakistan captain Babar Azam accepted the sanction.

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Pakistan have prevailed in just two matches from six appearances at this year’s World Cup and the 1992 champions need to win their remaining three matches just to have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Their next clash comes in Kolkata on Tuesday, with Pakistan facing Bangladesh in what looms as a must-win encounter.

Pakistan squad for ICC World Cup 2023

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, M Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha.

Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan

Pakistan’s remaining ICC World Cup 2023 fixtures

• October 31 – vs Bangladesh in Kolkata
• November 4 – vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)
• November 11 – vs England in Kolkata

The day matches will start at 10:00 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) while all other matches will be day-night fixtures, starting at 01:30 pm (PST).

READ: Meekeren takes four as Netherlands stun Bangladesh

KOLKATTA: Paul van Meekeren returned splendid figures of 4/23 and propelled the Netherlands to stun Bangladesh in the 28th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Saturday.

Chasing a modest 230-run target, the Bangladesh batting lineup failed completely and could only score 142 in response before being bundled out in the 43rd over.

Bangladesh got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as they lost both their openers Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das upfront in the sixth over with just 19 runs on the board.

The back-to-back blows pushed Bangladesh into defensive mode as Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz batted for more than five overs and only added 26 runs before Paul van Meekeren removed the former on nine.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan failed to pull his side out of trouble and walked back after managing to score a mere five.

Their mainstay Mehidy Hasan Miraz followed Shakib back to the dugout in the next over and Bangladesh’s chances shrank.

He waged a lone battle for Bangladesh with a 40-ball 35 that featured five boundaries and a six.

Coming out to bat at number seven, Mahmudullah took the reigns of Bangladesh’s run chase and stayed at the crease for almost 16 overs but failed to turn his side’s fortune.

He scored 20 in 41 balls with the help of two boundaries before departing in the 33rd over.

Bangladesh’s number 10 Mustafizur Rahman also offered brief resistance with his 20-run cameo but it was not enough as the Netherlands ran away with a massive 87-run victory, their second in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Opting to bat first, the Netherlands could only manage to raise a modest 229 on the board.

The Dutch had a shaky start to their innings as both their openers Vikramjit Singh (3) and Max O’Dowd (0) perished cheaply with just four runs on the board in the third over.

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Wesley Barresi and Colin Ackermann then anchored the innings with a gutsy 59-run partnership before both fell in successive overs to leave the Netherlands reeling at 64/4.

Dutch captain Scott Edwards then took charge of his side’s batting expedition and put together a brief partnership with Bas de Leede, who could score a 32-ball 17.

Sybrand Engelbrecht and Edwards then knitted an important 78-run partnership for the sixth wicket but Bangladesh once again hit back by removing both set batters in quick succession.

Engelbrecht remained a notable run-getter for the Dutch, scoring a cautious 61-ball 35, laced with three boundaries while Edwards top-scored with 68 off 89 deliveries, which featured six boundaries.

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Following their departure, Bangladesh bowlers ran through the Netherlands’ batting tail and soon wrapped up the innings by picking up the last wicket on the final delivery of the 50th over.

For Bangladesh, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam bagged two wickets each while Shakib Al Hasan made one scalp.

READ: Neesham’s heroics in vain as Australia down New Zealand in high-scoring thriller

DHARAMSALA: James Neesham’s gutsy fifty after Rachin Ravindra’s brisk went in vain as Australia edged New Zealand by five runs in the high-scoring ICC World Cup 2023 thriller on Saturday.

New Zealand, while chasing a daunting total of 389, fell just five runs short of pulling off a historic victory.

New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Will Young gave their side a decent start as they put together 60 runs in the first seven overs before Hazlewood pulled things back for Australia by dismissing both the openers in his successive overs.

Conway scored a 17-ball 28 while Young batted cautiously for his 37-ball 32.

Following the back-to-back blows, Daryl Mitchell joined Rachin Ravindra in the middle and the duo anchored the run chase with a 96-run partnership with both scoring half-centuries.

Mitchell, however, could not continue his solid knock and fell victim to Adam Zampa in the 24th over. He scored 54 in 51 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and a six.

Ravindra then put together brief partnerships with Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips before finally perishing in the 41st over when New Zealand still needed 96 runs.

He top-scored for the Blackcaps with 116 off 89 deliveries, peppered with nine boundaries and five sixes.

James Neesham then took the reigns of New Zealand’s pursuit and got extremely close to pulling it off but his dismissal on the penultimate delivery of the innings left New Zealand needing a six on the final ball.

He smashed three boundaries and three sixes amid his fighting 39-ball 58.

Mitchell Starc held his nerve and bowled a fuller delivery outside off to Lockie Ferguson, who went hard at it but only managed to drill it straight to the fielder in the ring at cover.

Adam Zampa led the bowling attack for Australia with 3/74, followed by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, taking two each, while Glenn Maxwell picked one.

Travis Head returned to the side after recovering from the hand injury he suffered at Centurion in South Africa last month.

He and David Warner justified their captain’s decision to bat first and scripted a flying start for Australia, raising 60 runs in the first five overs.

Both openers played briskly to score 175 runs off 117 balls for the first wicket and set a platform to get a mammoth total.

David Warner (80) was then caught and bowled by Glenn Phillips in the 20th over, ending the blistering opening stand.

Warner’s 65-ball 80, featured five boundaries and six sixes.

Meanwhile, Travis Head, after hitting the joint-fastest half-century in the World Cup off 25 balls converted that into a 59-ball century.

However, he also fell prey to Phillips after scoring 109 runs from 67 deliveries with the help of ten boundaries and seven sixes.

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Australia then slipped from 200-2 to 274-5, with Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis in the middle.

Maxwell then played a brisk cameo of 41 off 24, featuring five boundaries and two sixes, before being caught by Trent Boult off James Neesham.

Skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Inglis then knitted a 62-run partnership from 22 balls for the seventh wicket to push Australia’s total to 387.

Inglis scored 38 from 28, with the help of four boundaries and one six, while Cummins scored a blistering 37 off 14, featuring four sixes and two boundaries.

Inglis fell in the 49th over, bowled by Trent Boult with the scoreboard reading 387-7. Boult then took two more wickets in the over and gave away only one run.

Matt Henry ended the Australian innings in the final over with the wicket of Mitchell Starc at 388.

Trent Boult attained figures of 3-77, while Glenn Phillips returned with 3-37 for New Zealand.

READ: Matthew Wade to captain Australia on India T20I tour