India is eagerly preparing to host the 13th edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. This thrilling one-day international (ODI) tournament is scheduled from October 5 until November 19, 2023. Established in 1975 and held every four years, the tournament will commence with a match between New Zealand and the current champions, England, at the historic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Venues spanning ten Indian cities, will come alive with cricket fervor as they host 48 intense matches. Specifically, each venue will host five encounters, except for the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, that will hold three matches.
Highlighting the venues, the Narendra Modi Stadium, initially known as Motera Stadium, in Ahmedabad stands as the world’s most populous cricket stadium with a capacity to accommodate over 132,000 fans. This prestigious stadium will entertain not only the opening match, but also the November 19 final. The two semi-finals will ensue at the renowned Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, and Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Other hosting cities include Hyderabad, Dharamsala, New Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Pune, and Bengaluru.
Ten nations qualified for the competition including:
- Afghanistan (Group-stage finisher at its best)
- Australia (Five-time champions)
- Bangladesh (Quarterfinalists at their best)
- England (2019 champions)
- India (Two-time champions)
- Netherlands (Participated up to Group stage)
- New Zealand (Runners-up twice)
- Pakistan (1992 winners)
- South Africa (Semifinalists at their best)
- Sri Lanka (Champions in 1996)
This year, the teams secured their qualification through a series of matches played between 2020 and 2023, differing from the usual ODI ranking process. Noteworthy is the absence of the West Indies, the 1975 and 1979 champions, who missed out after a qualifying defeat to Scotland. The Netherlands clinched the final tournament spot, making their first appearance since 2011, remarkably edging out Scotland.
Reflecting on previous winners, the first World Cup in England in 1975 was taken by the West Indies, who also triumphed in 1979. They lost the title to India in 1983. Australia stands as the most triumphant, winning five times out of the twelve tournaments. India and the West Indies hold two titles each whereas Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England have each been the victors once, with England being the current title-holders.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has allocated a handsome $10m prize money for the tournament, parallel to the 2019 World Cup. The victors will walk away with $4m, the second team with $2m, and semifinalists will be rewarded with $800,000 each. Teams reaching the group stage will receive $100,000 each, with an additional $40,000 given to the winners of every match in that stage.
