Teams are beginning to assemble their squads for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.
In order to participate, all teams are required to confirm their 15-player squads by September 28. Any changes to the squads after this deadline will only be allowed with prior approval from the ICC.
Australia, India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Netherlands have already announced their 15-man squad for the tournament, while Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are yet to name their 15 for the World Cup 2023. However, the core group of these teams is also known to the people, and therefore, the best combined playing 11 of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 can already be decided on the basis of players’ form right now.
Openers: Jos Buttler (WK & C) and Travis Head
Jos Buttler and Travis Head are batting marvellously nowadays, and the two could form the most fearless opening pair in the ODIs. Even though Buttler plays at 6 or 7 in the ODIs, he could come at the front to dominate the players and set the stage for the other batters to follow. On the other hand, Travis Head is in a league of his now at the moment and is probably the most destructive batter in the world right now.
Middle Order: Virat Kohli, Heinrich Klaasen & Ben Stokes
Virat Kohli is the best number three batter in the world in ODIs. He is a no-brainer in the best combined playing XI for Cricket World Cup 2023. At four, we have Heinrich Klaasen, who is a great player of spin and will be crucial in the middle order against the spinners in India. He also plays with a handsome strike rate, and this makes him a player to watch out for in the upcoming ODI World Cup. The fifth place in the order is occupied by none other than Ben Stokes. You can never write off Stokes and his will to win. He is an X-factor for whichever team he plays.
Finishers: Hardik Pandya & Liam Livingstone
Hardik Pandya and Liam Livingstone are in red-hot form right now. Both of them are also good all-rounders who can easily share around 13-14 overs between them in an ODI match. Livingstone can hit the ball from the get-go, while Pandya is someone who could become the most dangerous batter after hanging around for a few balls. The two could very well be the brothers of destruction in the best World Cup 2023 combined, playing 11.
Bowlers: Pat Cummins, Mark Wood, Jasprit Bumrah & Kuldeep Yadav
The Aussie skipper Pat Cummins is known for his dogged style of bowling that does not go easy on any batter. He is a highly skilled player who can also bat a bit. Similarly, Mark Wood is also an able batter. However, Wood is probably the fastest bowler in the cricket world right now, and his presence in the playing 11 can threaten any opposition team. Jasprit Bumrah is the best death bowler in the world, and he has returned in full flow after the injury. Lastly, Kuldeep Yadav is probably the best spinner in Indian conditions, and therefore, he deserves to be in the best combined playing 11 for World Cup 2023.
Also read: ICC ODI World Cup squad of all teams revealed- Full list of players selected
Best Combined World Cup 2023 Squad
Jos Buttler (WK & C), Travis Head, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Virat Kohli, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Ben Stokes, Mitchell Marsh, Hardik Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Pat Cummins, Mark Wood, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Adam Zampa
Reserves: Marco Jansen, David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Ravindra Jadeja