Eoin Morgan, England’s World Cup-winning captain, emphasizes that a fit Hardik Pandya significantly bolsters India’s chances in the upcoming ODI World Cup. Morgan noted Pandya’s fitness level and his ability to contribute with the ball, highlighting that having a top-order batsman who can also bowl is a rarity in the tournament. Morgan draws parallels with the role played by Ben Stokes for England over the years and mentions that Australia has players like Stoinis and Cameron Green who fulfill similar roles. However, having a fit Hardik Pandya provides a genuine balance to the side, especially considering the varying pitch conditions…
Author: Virat Verma
Virat Verma
Virat Verma is a senior content writer at Cricreads with over five years of experience and more than 10,000 cricket articles to his name. A literature postgraduate from IGNOU, he blends in-depth knowledge with a passion for storytelling, making his cricket content both informative and engaging.
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With the ODI World Cup 2023 just two weeks away, teams are closely monitoring their players who are dealing with injuries that could jeopardize their participation in the tournament. Here’s a list of players facing injury challenges as they race against time to regain fitness before the event: Axar Patel: The Indian all-rounder suffered multiple blows to his body during the Asia Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh. His match fitness is uncertain, but with India playing a three-match series against Australia and two World Cup warm-up games, he still has time to recover. Travis Head: The Australian opener fractured his…
Both Australia and New Zealand are facing a challenging situation as two of their star players, Travis Head and Tim Southee, sustained severe injuries on the same day, casting doubt on their participation in the ODI World Cup 2023. Travis Head, Australia’s opener, suffered a confirmed fracture in his left hand after being hit by a short delivery from Gerald Coetzee during the fourth One-Day International against South Africa. This unfortunate injury has raised concerns about his availability for the early stages of the ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Tim Southee’s participation in the ODI World Cup 2023 is uncertain as…
Simon Doull has voiced his concerns about India’s chances in the upcoming ODI World Cup, particularly criticizing their batting approach. The former New Zealand seamer didn’t hold back, stating that India tends to play “stats-driven cricket” and often hesitates to take risks. According to Doull, the issue lies in their lack of fearless cricket, as they tend to be overly concerned about maintaining their statistics. He highlighted that this approach has let them down in crucial moments during recent ICC events. Also read: Major Changes in Pakistan Squad for World Cup: No Fakhar, Haris & Naseem While acknowledging India’s abundant…
Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 has raised concerns, leading to potential changes in the team composition ahead of the ICC World Cup 2023 next month. The team suffered losses to India and Sri Lanka in the Super 4 matches, resulting in their early exit from the Asia Cup. Skipper Babar Azam, Director Mickey Arthur, Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, and head coach Grant Bradburn are deliberating on the recurring fitness issues faced by some key players. The selectors are actively considering alternative players for the World Cup squad, and it’s expected that some senior players may lose their…
The Asia Cup 2023 proved to be a disappointing outing for Pakistan. Despite entering the tournament as the top-ranked ODI side and arguably the most balanced team, their campaign ended with more questions than answers. Under the leadership of Babar Azam, Pakistan began with convincing victories against Nepal and Bangladesh but suffered their most significant defeat against India during the Super 4 stage. In a must-win match against Sri Lanka, they narrowly lost by two wickets (via DLS method) in a nail-biting encounter. To compound their woes, Pakistan also had to contend with the loss of two key fast bowlers,…
Naseem Shah’s cricket journey has been marked by injury challenges, including a year-long absence due to a back injury suffered at just 17. Although he had a prior shoulder injury, his current right shoulder issue isn’t a recurrence of that. Despite these setbacks, the 20-year-old has emerged as a vital asset for Pakistan in all formats. Impressively, he has notched two five-wicket hauls in just 14 ODIs and even contributed match-winning cameos with the bat. Also read: Netherlands’ Probable Squad for ICC ODI World Cup 2023: Where Will Netherlands Finish in this World Cup Edition? Pakistan is yet to unveil…
Pakistan’s promising fast bowler, Naseem Shah, faces a likely exclusion from the World Cup 2023 due to a significant shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup clash against India. Initial scans conducted in Dubai suggest a lengthy recovery period, possibly sidelining him for the rest of the year. The PCB is contemplating a second opinion, but the initial prognosis is grim, posing a substantial setback for Pakistan, who fell short of reaching the Asia Cup final. While both Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf suffered injuries in the same India game, Haris Rauf’s injury appears less severe, and he is expected…
Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, expressed his dissatisfaction with the batting order adjustments made by the management during the crucial Asia Cup 2023 match against Sri Lanka. This game, a virtual semifinal between the co-hosts, took an unexpected turn when Babar Azam, having won the toss on a rain-affected day, chose to bat first. Due to injuries, Babar had to make five changes to the playing XI that suffered a significant 228-run loss to India, marking Pakistan’s heaviest defeat to India in ODI cricket. In this must-win match to secure a spot in the Asia Cup 2023 final against…
Sanju Samson finds himself left out of the squad for the upcoming India vs Australia series, a trend that began with his exclusion from major tournaments like the Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has made it clear that Samson is not part of their World Cup plans and will only serve as a backup. The three-match series against Australia, commencing on September 22, is a critical final preparation for the Indian Cricket Team. Therefore, the selection committee is keen to maintain squad continuity, aligning it with their World Cup preparations. This…