ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Everything you need to know

Cricket enthusiasts around the globe are excited for the commencement of the most awaited event in the sporting calendar—the ICC Cricket World Cup. Steeped in history and tradition, this is not just a cricket competition but an event that unites nations, cultures and fans in a collective enthusiasm for the sport.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which is the 13th edition of this prestigious cricketing spectacle, is underway. Hosted by India, the quadrennial tournament kicked off on October 5 and its final match will be played on November 19. As expected, it will usher in another season of top-notch performances and fierce competition from formidable cricketing nations and players worldwide. The competition has also garnered massive betting action, covered by almost every sportsbook. Tons of bettors are taking to these betting sites to wager on the tournament's overall winner and individual matches daily. You can click here for the best 2023 cricket World Cup betting odds.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this article covers everything you need to know about this tournament. It will explore the event’s format, venues, schedule, participating teams, favourites to win and more. Let’s dive right in!

Brief history of the competition

The ICC Cricket World Cup has a storied history that spans over four decades, dating back to its inception in 1975. The first-ever Cricket World Cup took place in England, featuring just eight teams: England, West Indies, Australia, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and East Africa. 

Since then, the tournament has grown in scale and popularity, evolving into the biggest international cricket competition. Today, it is one of the most anticipated and watched sporting events worldwide. It has also expanded to include more teams over the years, with the most recent edition featuring ten participating nations. Since its inception, the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup tournament has seen 20 teams participate, with only 6 lifting the coveted trophy.

Below is a list of the previous champions of the tournament:

• 1975: West Indies
• 1979: West Indies (2nd title)
• 1983: India
• 1987: Australia
• 1992: Pakistan
• 1996: Sri Lanka
• 1999: Australia (2nd title)
• 2003: Australia (3rd title)
• 2007: Australia (4th title)
• 2011: India (2nd title)
• 2015: Australia (5th title)
• 2019: England

Host country and venues

The 2023 ICC World Cup is set to take place in the cricket powerhouse nation of India. The country has previously hosted the tournament on three occasions: 1987, 1996 and 2011. This year's edition will feature 48 matches played across a selection of 10 iconic stadiums across the nation. 

The table below shows the World Cup’s venues and their respective locations, capacities and expected matches.

The significance of these venues in past ICC World Cup tournaments further adds to the allure of this year’s edition. With these state-of-the-art facilities, a passionate fan base, and a rich cricketing heritage, India once again provides an excellent backdrop for the competition. 

Broadcast and online streaming

If you cannot make it to the stadiums, don't worry; you can still catch all the action from the comfort of your home. Star Sports and its affiliated streaming platform, Disney+ Hotstar, in collaboration with the ICC, is the official host broadcaster for the Cricket World Cup. These platforms will broadcast and stream the matches live (free without a subscription on mobile devices) in English and eight regional languages. This ensures that cricket enthusiasts everywhere can watch their favourite teams in action. 

Here is a list of other notable official broadcasters of the tournament:

• India: Star Sports and DD Sports
• Australia: Fox Sports, Kayo Sports and Nine Network
• Canada: Willow TV
• Afghanistan: RTA Sports and Ariana TV
• New Zealand: Sky Sports and Sky Sports 3
• United Kingdom: Sky Sports Cricket
• United States: Willow TV
• Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSports
• Nepal: Star Sports Network
• South Africa: SuperSports
• Sri Lanka: Sirasa TV and SuperSports network
• Pakistan: A Sports and PTV Sports
• Bangladesh: Gazi TV, T sports and BTV.

Tournament format and schedule

The ICC has confirmed that the 2019 Cricket World Cup regulations will apply to this tournament. The competition will follow a round-robin format where each team will compete against the others in a group in a total of 45 matches. The last match in this stage will be held between the Netherlands and India on the 12th of November.

Upon the conclusion of the group stage, the top four teams from the group stage will advance to the semi-final round. In this stage, the team finishing first in their group will square off against the fourth-placed team, while the second and third-placed teams will face off in the second semi-final match. Subsequently, the winners of these two contests will vie for the coveted trophy in the final showdown.

Tournament schedule

Below is the schedule for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023:

• Group stage matches: Oct 5 - Nov 12.
• 1st Semi-Final (1st v 4th): Nov 15, 08:30 GMT @ Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
• 2nd Semi-Final (2nd v 3rd): Nov 16, 08:30 GMT @ Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
• Final: Nov 19, 08:30 GMT @ Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Some of the best teams are competing which will prove to be an intense fight in this years edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup

Participating teams

The 2023 Cricket World Cup will feature the top cricketing nations worldwide. Unlike previous editions where qualification relied heavily on ODI rankings, this time, it was primarily determined by the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, which spanned from 2020 to 2023. 

The top eight of the thirteen participating teams in this league secured automatic places in the World Cup. Although India came fourth, it already has an automatic as the host country. The remaining two spots were fiercely contested in the World Cup qualifier between the Super League's bottom five and the top five associate-ranked teams (affiliate members of the ICC). 

The table below shows a list of the participating teams and how they qualified.

Conclusion

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 promises unmatched excitement and fierce competition. From nail-biting matches to extraordinary performances, this tournament is set to captivate cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Stay tuned for unforgettable moments, surprising upsets and stellar displays of sportsmanship