The ICC World Cup 2023 is set to be the highlight of the cricket calendar, with India hosting the tournament in October-November. This edition of the World Cup holds special significance as it marks the first time that India will be the sole host of the competition. Previously, India co-hosted the World Cup on three occasions in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
Looking back at the history of the ICC World Cup, we find that 12 editions of the tournament have been played so far. The inaugural edition took place in 1975 in England, featuring 8 teams. West Indies emerged as the champions, defeating Australia in the final. The subsequent editions in 1979 and 1983 were also held in England, with West Indies and India emerging as the winners, respectively.
In 1987, the World Cup ventured outside England for the first time as India and Pakistan co-hosted the tournament. This edition witnessed the introduction of 50-over matches in One Day Internationals (ODIs), with previous matches consisting of 60 overs per innings. Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the 1992 edition, while the 1996 World Cup had India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as co-hosts.
In 1999, Europe became the host as England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Netherlands collaborated for the event. The World Cup then traveled to Africa in 2003, with South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya hosting it. In 2007, the tournament returned to the West Indies, marking their first hosting opportunity. Subsequently, the 2011 World Cup was hosted by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
The last edition in 2019 saw Australia and New Zealand as co-hosts before the tournament returned to England in 2019. Australia holds the record for the most World Cup wins, having secured the trophy on five occasions. West Indies and India have won the World Cup twice, while Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England have each won it once.
Now, let’s take a look at the team list for the ICC World Cup 2023. A total of 10 teams will be participating, following a similar format to the 2019 edition. The tournament will feature a round-robin stage, followed by semifinals and a final. During the round-robin stage, each team will play against all the other nine teams.
Teams will earn two points for a win, while matches ending in no result will result in each team receiving one point. After the conclusion of the round-robin stage, the top four teams will advance to the semifinals.
The pathway to qualification for the ICC World Cup 2023 was through the Super League 2020-23. The top seven teams from the Super League, along with host nation India, secured automatic qualification for the marquee event.
The remaining five teams on the Super League table, the top three teams from the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, and the top two teams from the 2023 World Cup Qualifier Playoff will compete in the 2023 World Cup Qualifier to determine the final two spots for the main event. The Qualifier is scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in June and July.
As of now, India, England, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh have secured their places in the ICC World Cup 2023. Meanwhile, Ireland, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman, Scotland, United Arab Emirates, and the United States will participate in the Qualifiers to secure the remaining two spots.
ICC World Cup 2023 Team List:
- India
- England
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Pakistan
- South Africa
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- To Be Determined
- To Be Determined
ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers Team List:
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
- Zimbabwe
- Nepal
- Oman
- Scotland
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
The upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 promises to be a thrilling and closely contested tournament as teams from around the world compete for cricket’s ultimate prize on Indian soil. Fans can eagerly anticipate witnessing their favorite teams battle it out for glory in this prestigious cricketing event.
