4 similarities between the lead-ups to 2011 WC and 2023 ODI World Cups
The countdown to the 2023 World Cup has started. The biggest cricket event of the year will take place in India from October 5 to November 19. This is the first time India will host the mega event all alone.
India have hosted the World Cup thrice in the past, but in all three editions, a neighboring nation co-hosted. In 1987, Pakistan were the co-host, whereas nine years later, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were co-hosts with India.
The last time India hosted the mega event was in 2011, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India won the World Cup that year, but since then the Indian team have not been able to lift the trophy.
With the mega event returning to the country this year, many fans feel that this is the best chance for the Men in Blue to become world champions in the ODI format again.
Interestingly, there have been some coincidences in the lead-up to the 2011 World Cup and the 2023 World Cup so far. Apart from the host, here's a look at the four similarities between the two mega events.
#1 Shakib Al Hasan captaining Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan captained Bangladesh in the 2011 edition of the mega event. While Bangladesh had home advantage, they could not finish in the top four of the Group B standings and failed to qualify for the quarterfinals.
Shakib continued to be a part of Bangladesh's WC squad as a player in 2015 and 2019. Now, ahead of the 2023 World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have named Shakib as the new captain again.
#2 India face defending champions in the warm-up round
India will play two matches in the warm-up round before the mega event. Their first opponents are defending champions England, whom they will face in Guwahati on September 30.
Interestingly, India faced defending champions of the 2011 WC, Australia, in a warm-up match that year. The Men in Blue beat the Aussies by 38 runs in that contest at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
#3 Netherlands qualified for 2011 WC and 2023 World Cup
Netherlands surprised the fans by finishing runners-up in the Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier earlier this year in Zimbabwe. The Dutch team will make their first appearance at the mega event since 2011.
The Men in Orange participated in the 2011 edition of the mega event, where they failed to win a single match and finished last in the Group B standings. It will be interesting to see how they perform in this year's tournament.
#4 England enter the ODI World Cup as defending champions of T20 World Cup
England won the 2010 T20 World Cup in West Indies, a year before the ODI mega event in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They beat Australia to become the world champions in the shortest format of the game in 2010.
Last year, England won the T20 World Cup for the second time by defeating Pakistan in the final. 2023 World Cup will be the only second edition of the ODI mega event where England hold the T20 crown.