The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 starts on October 5 with England and New Zealand facing off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. It offers a chance for New Zealand to avenge their loss in the 2019 final.
After 45 league games and three knockout matches, the winners will be decided on November 19. Here’s an explainer on the tournament’s history, format, rules, and venues. Also, where to watch the matches on television.
Which are the teams at the World Cup?
The 10 teams vying for the World Cup are England, India, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.
The West Indies, winners of the first two World Cups, are a shock omission after failing to gain one of the nine qualification spots.
How did the teams qualify?
As hosts India won an automatic entry, the other nine countries underwent a qualification process spread over three years in multiple stages and smaller tournaments.
Seven teams, including defending champions England, qualified on the strength of their standings in the ICC Super League, a three-year competition where 13 teams played eight three-match bilateral series from July 2020 to May 2023. New Zealand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa also progressed to the Cricket World Cup.
The bottom five went on to the World Cup Qualifier along with teams from League 2 and the Qualifier Play-off tournament. The Netherlands and Sri Lanka picked up the remaining two spots, topping the knockout qualifier.
What’s the format for the 2023 World Cup?
The matches are 50-over-a-side affairs — One-Day Internationals. The first stage is a round-robin format where all teams play each other once. The first phase of 45 games will conclude on November 12 with India playing the Netherlands in Bengaluru. The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals.
What are the rules?
Each team has to bat and bowl 50 overs like a standard ODI match, and the team that scores the most runs win. A bowler can deliver a maximum of 10 overs during the innings.
There are three powerplay phases in an innings when there is a restriction in the number of fielders deployed in the outfield. Powerplay One is for the first 10 overs when the fielding team can have only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. During Powerplay Two, from overs 11 to 40, the fielding team can keep only a maximum of four fielders outside the circle. Powerplay Three covers the last 10 overs, during which a maximum of five fielders can be posted outside the circle.
What happens when scores are level at the end of the game?
If both teams finish on the same score, a super over will be deployed as a tiebreaker. If the teams are tied after the super over, a second super over will follow. More super overs will be used until there is a winner.
How many points will a team need to reach the semifinals?
Seven victories from nine matches should be enough to guarantee a semifinal spot. If no games are rained off, six wins could make qualification tricky. If teams are level on points, total wins will be the next tiebreaker, followed by net run rate.
Teams finishing first and fourth will play the first semifinal, and the second and third-placed teams will clash in the second semifinal.
Are there reserve days for matches?
The semifinals and the final have a reserve day, which will be the next day,
Where are the matches played?
Matches will be played on 10 grounds from Dharamsala in the north to Bangalore and Chennai in the south. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamshala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune will host the matches.
Where are the semifinals played?
The first semifinal is on November 15 in Mumbai, and the second semifinal will be on November 16 in Kolkata. Teams finishing first and fourth will play the first semifinal, and the second and third-placed teams will clash in the second semifinal.
If Pakistan qualify, their semifinals will be played in Kolkata regardless of their ranking. If India qualify, they will play in Mumbai. If India and Pakistan teams clash in the semifinal, the match will be played in Kolkata.
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What are the odds for each team?
India 15/8
England 16/5
Australia 4/1
Pakistan 6/1
South Africa 15/2
New Zealand 9/1
Sri Lanka 25/1
Bangladesh 100/1
Afghanistan 100/1
Netherlands 500/1
What’s the prize money?
The total prize money is $10 million. The winners will take home $4 million, while the runners-up get $2 million. Semifinalists will walk away with $800,000 each, and teams finishing at the group stage will be richer by $100,000. Each group stage win will fetch $40,000.
Which teams have won the World Cup?
The West Indies won the first two tournaments, in 1975 and 1979. India prevented a Caribbean hat-trick, winning in 1983 under Kapil Dev’s captaincy. India could win their second trophy only in 2011.
Australia were a dominant side, claiming the title three times in a row from 1999 to 2007. They are the most successful team with five World Cup titles. Pakistan (1992) and Sri Lanka (1996) are the only other nations to win the World Cup.
Who are the previous winners?
2019: England
2015: Australia
2011: India
2007: Australia
2003: Australia
1999: Australia
1996: Sri Lanka
1992: Pakistan
1987: Australia
1983: India
1979: West Indies
1975: West Indies
How can you watch the World Cup 2023 on television?
The Cricket World Cup 2023 can be watched on CricLife Max on the STARZPLAY app in the UAE.
In India, the matches will be shown on Star Sports, and cricket fans in Pakistan will be able to watch on PTV and ARY.
What is the history of the tournament?
The Cricket World Cup takes place every four years. World Cup 2023 in India bears little resemblance to the inaugural edition in 1975. The first three tournaments were called the Prudential World Cup, all of which were played in England. They were played over 60 overs as daylight lasts longer in England. Players wore whites, and the traditional red ball was used.
All that changed when the World Cup left England. It became the Reliance World Cup in India, and matches were reduced to 50 overs. Over the years, coloured clothing, white balls and powerplays became part of the competition.
This is the 13th edition of the World Cup and the second time India is hosting the tournament.
What’s the schedule of matches in World Cup 2023?
