World Cup 2023 Review: England – Defending champions go back empty-handed

England’s journey in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India came to an end with some huge disappointments. Their campaign began with a crushing defeat to New Zealand, briefly recovering before descending into a downward spiral and ultimately being eliminated from the title race. Ben Stokes acknowledged their poor performance, stating “We’ve played crap” when asked about their mistakes.

Stokes, an important all-rounder, battled a persistent knee issue that limited his bowling contributions and affected his batting returns, highlighting England’s need for his skills.

Following the disappointing campaign, England has announced a new team for the Caribbean tour, with several players from the World Cup squad absent in a comprehensive rebuilding process. England won three out of nine matches and finished in seventh place on the points table, marking it as one of the worst title defences in ODI World Cup history.

Top Performers:

Top Batter – Dawid Malan:

Dawid Malan emerged as the star of England’s batting unit, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer for them. He scored a century and two half-centuries, the only batter from England to cross the 400-run mark, providing reassurance at the top of the order.

Top Bowler – Adil Rashid:

Adil Rashid distinguished himself as the leading wicket-taker for England, securing 15 wickets during the campaign. His bowling prowess played a crucial role in a few wins that England could secure in the marquee event.

X-Factor Player – Dawid Malan:

Amidst a lack of standout performances from the defending champions, Dawid Malan’s batting performance in the tournament designates him as the X-factor player. While his brilliance shone in individual innings, it wasn’t sufficient to propel his team into the top four.

Most Memorable Moment:

The pinnacle moment in England’s campaign was their victory over Pakistan, which resonated due to their initial difficulties in the tournament. Marked by a collective effort, England’s top and middle-order collaborated to set a challenging target of 337/9 in Kolkata.

This commendable batting display was complemented by a cohesive bowling performance, restricting Pakistan to 244-all out. Although it was quite delayed, this triumph allowed England to depart Indian shores on a high note.