"Number 1 player ki koi izzat nahi hai"- Top 10 funny memes after ICC announces ODI team of the year for 2023
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the ODI playing XI for 2023 on Tuesday (January 23), along with the other two formats.
Team India players dominated the side, as six of them managed to make the cut. Indian captain Rohit Sharma was chosen as the leader of the elite side, comprising the top performers in ODI format last year.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill got the nod as the openers after their stellar batting performances in 2023.
Gill was the leading run-scorer in ODIs last year with a tally of 1,584 runs, which helped him seal his place as an opener in the Indian team. Meanwhile, Rohit revamped his game and led the Men in Blue by example. He unleashed a furious avatar in ODIs, smashing 1,255 runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 117.
Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Daryl Mitchell, and Heinrich Klaasen were slotted in the middle order. Head was consistent for Australia through the last season and also played a crucial role in their 2023 World Cup-winning campaign. He rose to the occasion and stole the show with match-winning contributions in the semi-final and final to help Australia lift the coveted trophy for the 7th time.
Virat Kohli rediscovered his ODI form and was at his consistent best for India by playing the anchor role perfectly. Daryl Mitchell was the breakout star for New Zealand, scoring 1,204 runs at an average of 52.34 while shepherding their middle-order skillfully. South African wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen was the standout finisher and middle-overs hitter in white-ball cricket in 2023.
ICC opted to go with Marco Jansen for the all-rounder spot, considering his success for South Africa in the role last year. Kuldeep Yadav and Adam Zampa were handed the responsibility of handling the spin department. Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami rounded the off-side as the frontline pacers.
Fans took note of the team and expressed their reactions by sharing memes on social media platforms. The absence of a few top names like Babar Azam and Pat Cummins in the XI gave a few fans enough fodder to create some hilarious contest. Here are some of the best memes:
ICC's ODI playing XI of 2023:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Daryl Mitchell, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami
Do you agree with the selections made by ICC above? Let us know your opinions on the matter in the comments section below.