ICC World Cup 2023: Mother of all cricketing battles begins today

The greatest cricketing spectacle, ICC World Cup 2023, that will unfold today (October 5) will engulf and regale its enthusiasts till the November 19 grand finale. Like with every edition, expectations are high that India, the sole host this time around, will conduct the game’s crème de la crème in a seamless manner, given its proven organizational acumen. It will attract enthusiasts from across the globe, not to speak of making it a memorable outing for the best of contemporary players out to prove their credentials and corner glory. The event has seen an unprecedented surge in travel bookings, thanks to the new-found cricket tourism.

Meanwhile, the World Cup will be a second mega international event after the hugely successful G20 Summit that India will be hosting and marks another occasion to propel its status on the global firmament. Incidentally, the World Cup will bring many host cities to the world spotlight. Each city has its unique identity and a bevy of attractions to add to the cricketing frenzy that will keep the cricketing world hooked.

Though, originally, slated to be held from February 9 to March 26, 2023, the continuing pandemic effect disrupted preparations before the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revised the schedule to the current timeline. Each of the 10 teams, with a blend of proven stalwarts and youngsters endowed with extraordinary potential, will be out to outsmart the opponents to hold aloft the prized Cup on D-Day. Though luck does have a large role to play for achieving success, including in sports, talent will eventually tilt the scales. One way or the other. Meanwhile, to the followers, getting hooked on to a display of pulsating battles between the ball and bat and each team going all-out to outperform the other is what matters.

Two-time champion (1983 and 2011) India opens its campaign against top title contender and five-time winner Australia in Chennai on October 8. The cricket-crazy nation is banking on the all-round abilities of several players and hoping that each player will reserve his best to deliver on the day of reckoning. Although, it has many big names to take forward the battle, the team’s fortunes will revolve around the exploits of the seven Word Cup debutants, including Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj.

Right now, all eyes are on the opener featuring 2019 finalists England and New Zealand, both of whom will hope for a rollicking start at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which, incidentally, will also host the finals on November 19. The Indian fans will be awaiting the showdown with sworn enemy Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 14. By all accounts, it will be a fierce battle as befitting the championship match. A maddening day is upon us on October 5 soon after the official theme song ‘Dil Jashn Bole’ composed by Pritam is rendered by Ranvir Singh and Dhanashree Verma. Incidentally, a cause for celebration is that the ICC has named Sachin Tendulkar as the ‘Global Ambassador’ for the men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Get set for the highs and lows and the agony and ecstasy that come along with each and every World Cup. It will be no different this time around.