All 10 nations will play one another because the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will have the same format as the competition from four years ago. This will be the final iteration of the 10-team Group Stage, which features 45 thrilling matches to determine the final four, until a new format is introduced in 2027.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup began in 2019 with an exciting match between England and South Africa at The Oval, with the host team winning the opening game. The Group Stage lasted six weeks, with ebbs and flows as new contenders arose, with each side playing nine matches.
Because of the format’s elegance, a team’s chances of moving on were not necessarily destroyed by a sluggish start. For instance, Pakistan had a relatively sluggish start to the 2019 season, winning just one of their first five games, a 14-run victory over eventual champions England at Trent Bridge.
Despite this, Pakistan finished the tournament with four straight victories to come just short of qualifying for the semifinals based on net run rate. They were just one point behind England at the finish line and tied for second place with New Zealand in terms of points, virtually carrying them all the way to the semifinals as the form team. On the other hand, Australia was the first team to secure a spot in the final four, winning six of their first seven games with India being the lone loss.
The next team to secure a ticket in the semifinals was India, who defeated Bangladesh on route to taking first place in the Group Stage with seven victories out of nine games. But at the World Cup, timing your run is just as important as being a quick starter, and when it came to the semi-finals, it was the hosts and the Kiwis who were in top form. Since every team had the opportunity to compete against the greatest in the world, the knockout rounds were all about performing at your absolute best.
The first match took place over two days at Old Trafford between India and New Zealand, with the weather having some impact on the match. The Black Caps won by 18 runs because to some outstanding fielding from Martin Guptill, who dismissed MS Dhoni in the penultimate over.
The next day, England was much more vehement in exacting revenge for their defeat to Australia in the group stage, cruising to an eight-wicket victory to secure a spot in the final for the first time since 1992. Due to these outcomes, a new champion would be crowned in the final for the first time in more over 20 years since Sri Lanka won as one of the hosts in 1996.
Following in Sri Lanka’s footsteps, England memorably imitated them at Lord’s under the most dramatic conditions. When England batted in response, they scored 241 for the loss of eight wickets, matching New Zealand’s total and forcing a Super Over.
In the Super Over, both teams again went blow for blow against one another, scoring a total of 15 runs, with England winning on boundaries hit. England demonstrated how to effectively manage this Cricket World Cup format on their way to winning the championship game and the opener game.
Will they be able to replicate the feat, or will another club prove to be the best in the 10-team Group Stage configuration?
India
