England will take on Pakistan in match number 44 of the World Cup 2023 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, November 11. This will be the second match of the double-header. While England are in seventh position in the points table, with four points from eight games and a run rate of -0.885, Pakistan are fifth with eight points from eight matches and a run rate of +0.036.

England have been eliminated from the top four race, while Pakistan are also on the brink of elimination. The mathematical possibility that hasn’t seen the E-letter against Pakistan’s name is a Herculean task, to say the least. England’s main aim in their final league clash of the tournament will be to secure a victory and stay alive for the 2025 Champions Trophy qualification. Their hopes must have received a boost following their impressive 160-run win over Netherlands, coming up with a good all-round show.

As for Pakistan, skipper Babar Azam said at the pre-match press conference that they will try and push up their net run rate. If we look at things practically, though, if Pakistan score 300, they need to restrict England to 13 runs. Here are player battles to watch out for in the England-Pakistan clash.

Fakhar Zaman vs David Willey

Fakhar Zaman has lit up the 2023 World Cup following a late comeback after being dropped early in the tournament. Pakistan might be wondering if their fortunes would have been different had they backed Fakhar’s experience and talent. The 33-year-old went into the World Cup with poor form against his name and was axed from the playing XI after being dismissed for 12 against the Netherlands. Since making a comeback to the team, he has smashed 81 and 126 not out, looking in great hitting rhythm.

England’s left-arm pacer David Willey will be playing his last game for the nation, having announced his international retirement midway through the tournament. He will, obviously, be keen to sign off on a high. The all-rounder has done a decent job for England with the ball, claiming eight wickets in five matches. Willey claimed a three-for against India, two against Sri Lanka, and picked up 2/19 against Netherlands. Can he knock over Fakhar cheaply?

Dawid Malan vs Shaheen Afridi

Dawid Malan admitted in the pre-match press conference that the game against Pakistan could be the last international match for England. At 36, the seasoned left-hander is unsure what his future holds. Malan has had a decent World Cup for England without being outstanding. In eight innings, he has scored 373 runs at an average of 46.62 and a strike rate of 103.32. Malan has one hundred to his credit and has struck consecutive fifties in the last two matches. Can he make it a hat-trick of good scores?

The England opener will be in for a challenge against Shaheen Afridi at the start of the innings. The Pakistan left-arm pacer has been one of the standout performers for the team in what has been a disappointing tournament overall. He has picked up 16 wickets in eight matches at an average of 25.56. Afridi claimed a five-for against Australia and three wickets each against South Africa and Bangladesh, respectively. However, he had a forgettable game against New Zealand, as he was pounded for 90 runs in his 10 overs. He will look to recover against England. Getting Malan early would be a good start.

Babar Azam vs Adil Rashid

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been among the runs in the 2023 World Cup. But what has been disappointing is that he hasn’t been assertive enough, differentiating him from the likes of Quinton de Kock and Virat Kohli in the tournament. In eight innings, the right-handed batter has scored 282 runs at an average of 40.28 and a strike rate of 82.69. He has notched up four half-centuries but with a best of 74, which is too low as per his standards. Babar will be keen to sign off from the World Cup on a high. A big innings is around the corner?

England leg-spinner Adil Rashid has done a decent job for the team amid all the ruins. He has claimed 13 wickets in eight matches at an average of 27.54. The 35-year-old has gone wicketless in only one of the last five matches. He claimed 2/61 against South Africa, two wickets each against India and Australia, and a three-for against Netherlands. Rashid likes the challenge of bowling to big names. As such, he should enjoy the battle against the Pakistan skipper. It remains to be seen who comes out on top in the clash.

Ben Stokes vs Mohammad Wasim Jr

England’s talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes is too good a player to miss out on performing in a World Cup. It may be a case of too little, too late, but it has come nonetheless. The star England cricketer, who missed the team’s initial matches due to injury, looked out of sorts on a comeback. He made five against South Africa, a labored 43 against Sri Lanka, and a clueless 0 against India. In the match versus Australia, he also took 90 balls for his 64. However, Stokes was assertive in his ton against the Netherlands.

Mohammad Wasim Jr has often been impressive when playing for Pakistan. The 2023 World Cup has been no different. In three matches, he has registered figures of 2/50, 3/31 and 3/60. The pacer likes accepting challenges. Bowling to Stokes will be one.

Mohammad Rizwan vs Chris Woakes

Mohammad Rizwan started the World Cup with a bang but has lost his way since then. Since his ton against Sri Lanka, he has registered scores of 49, 46, 8, 31, and 26 not out. There have been starts, but Pakistan are expecting much more from him. Can he sign off on a high?

Chris Woakes has impressed with the ball for England in recent games. He claimed two wickets against India and followed it up with a four-for against Australia. Woakes also chipped in with a scalp against the Netherlands. Can he dismiss Rizwan early and carry on his good form?

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The 2023 ODI World Cup is more than five weeks old now. Looking at the points table after week five, Sri Lanka and Netherlands joined England and Bangladesh among the teams who have been knocked out of the competition. Pakistan and Afghanistan only have a mathematical chance as New Zealand have all but secured their semi-finals berth following their five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Looking at the top four of the points table, Team India maintain the numero uno position with 16 points from eight matches. They will finish on top of the standings even if they lose their last league match to the Netherlands. South Africa and Australia are second and third, respectively, with 12 points from eight games, separated by the net run rate. New Zealand are fourth and look all set to remain there courtesy of their impressive net run rate. On that note, let’s look at the flop World Cup 2023 XI of week five.

Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Travis Head 

Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Australia’s Travis Head would open the innings in the flop World Cup 2023 XI of week five. The big-hitting Gurbaz was dismissed for 10 against Netherlands and followed it up with 21 against Australia.

Head also had a poor weak, opening the batting for the Aussies. He managed only 11 in the much-hyped clash against Ashes rivals England and was dismissed for a duck, playing a poor stroke in the game against Afghanistan. 

Middle-order: Joe Root, Kusal Mendis (captain), Jos Buttler, Josh Inglis (wk)

England’s experienced batter Joe Root’s horror run with the willow continued in week five. He was dismissed for 13 against Australia, caught behind off Mitchell Starc. Root was then dismissed in embarrassing fashion against Netherlands for 28. He was bowled between his legs by Logan van Beek, attempting a cheeky reverse scoop.

Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis will lead the flop XI of week five. He failed to inspire the team with the bat and in the field. Mendis was dismissed for 1 against India, cleaned up by Mohammed Siraj. He looked completely out of sorts against Bangladesh and holed out for 19.

England captain Jos Buttler makes it to the flop XI for yet another week as his disastrous run with the bat continued in the tournament. The man, who has owned up responsibility for the team’s disastrous campaign, was dismissed for single-figure scores against Australia and Netherlands, perishing for 1 and 5, respectively. Buttler would like to forget the World Cup like a bad dream. 

Australia’s Josh Inglis would be the keeper-batter in the team, although Buttler can also don the gloves. Inglis was a massive disappointment for the Aussies in week five. He was dismissed for 3 against England and fell for a golden duck against Afghanistan.

Bowlers: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

There is no proper all-rounder in the flop XI of week five, but Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Ish Sodhi can contribute with the willow. Mujeeb makes the team following a horror show against Australia. After registering figures of 1/40 against the Netherlands, he dropped a simple catch of Glenn Maxwell. The rest is history. He conceded 0/72 in 8.5 overs and was absolutely clobbered by the Aussie. 

The Kiwi duo of leg-spinner Sodhi and left-arm pacer Trent Boult suffered in the wake of an onslaught from Fakhar Zaman in the match against Pakistan. Boult had figures of 0/60 from five overs in six overs, while Sodhi went for 44 in four, also failing to claim a wicket. 

The Pakistan pace duo of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf also make the list for the battering they received in the same match against New Zealand. Afridi had figures of 0/90 in 10 overs, while Rauf finished with 1/85 from his 10-over quota.

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Australia will take on Bangladesh in match number 43 of the 2023 ODI World Cup at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday, November 11. This will be the first match of the double-header, with England taking on Pakistan later in the day. Australia are third in the points table, with 12 points from eight matches. They began the tournament with two losses but have since been on a six-match winning spree. In their last game, they came back from 91/7 to register a three-wicket win over Afghanistan courtesy of Glenn Maxwell’s brilliance.

While Australia have confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup for knocked out Bangladesh, it will be about trying to secure a berth in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Beating Australia, however, will be no mean feat. The Aussies have only gone down to Bangladesh once in ODIs, which was way back in 2005 in Cardiff. To make matters worse, they will be without skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who has been ruled out of the game due to injury. The team will take some confidence from the three-wicket win over Sri Lanka. Here are five player battles to watch out for in the Australia-Bangladesh clash.

David Warner vs Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Australian opener David Warner has had an impressive run in the 2023 World Cup, overcoming a poor start to the tournament. After three underwhelming scores, he had some luck against Pakistan and ended up hammering a scintillating 163. He followed it up with 104 against Netherlands and 81 versus New Zealand. In the last two matches, though, he has been dismissed cheaply, falling for 15 and 18 against England and Afghanistan, respectively. Warner would want to get back among the runs against Bangladesh.

Young Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been in and out of the team’s ODI squad lately. He was included for the game against Sri Lanka and responded with figures of 3/80. While Tanzim was expensive in the overall analysis, he did chip in with some crucial wickets. He knocked over Pathum Nissanka and also got the scalp of Charith Asalanka. Warner will look to take him on, which also brings Tanzim in the game. Can he find a way of getting the better of the Aussie white-ball legend?

Litton Das vs Josh Hazlewood

Experienced Bangladesh batter Litton Das’ international career has been a case of what could have been. He is immensely talented, but has failed to utilize his stills to the optimum level. This World Cup, too, has been a demonstration of the same. Das has got a number of starts and has looked impressive during a number of his knocks. At the end of the day, though, the aggressive batter has only two half-centuries to show for his efforts. He scored 76 against England and 66 versus India. Das will be keen to come up with a performance worthy of his talent against Australia.

It would be fair to say that Josh Hazlewood has done what has been expected of him in the 2023 World Cup. The right-arm pacer has chipped in with key wickets at crucial junctures in almost every game, bringing his experience into play. In eight matches so far, he has picked up 12 wickets. Hazlewood began with a three-for against India, albeit in a losing cause, but hasn’t looked back since. In Australia’s last three matches, he has claimed two scalps each. Hazlewood would back himself to get the better of Das. Will this battle play according to the script?

Marnus Labuschagne vs Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Marnus Labuschagne has been a key batter for Australia in the middle-order, particularly with Steve Smith struggling for runs. And to think that he was not even part of the team’s original 15-member squad, only getting in because of the injury to Ashton Agar. The 29-year-old maverick batter has scored two crucial fifties – 62 against Netherlands and 71 versus England. However, like Das, he, too, hasn’t converted his other starts. A big knock could be around the corner for Labuschagne. Will it come against Bangladesh, just ahead of the knockouts?

Off-spinning all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has blown hot and cold for the team in the ongoing World Cup. If we talk about his bowling, he has picked up 10 scalps in eight matches. He kicked off the tournament with a 3/25 in the win over Afghanistan. After a few disappointing games, he picked up 2/47 against Pakistan. Mehidy again went off the boil before claiming 3/60 versus Pakistan. Bangladesh will bank on him in the middle overs as they look to restrict Labuschagne. Can Mehidy deliver the goods?

Mahmudullah vs Adam Zampa

Veteran Bangladesh batter Mahmudullah has been among the few positives for the team in the batting department. In six innings, the 37-year-old has smashed 296 runs at an average of 59.20. Batting down the order, the aggressive right-hander has registered scores of 41 not out, 46, 111, 20, 56 and 22. Having failed to convert his recent starts, Mahmudullah will look to sign off from the World Cup on a high.

Leggie Adam Zampa has been absolutely brilliant for Australia with his consistency in wicket-ability, bamboozling one opposition after another. He is currently the second-leading wicket-taker in the competition, with 20 wickets in eight matches at an average of 19.20. After three consecutive four-fors, he claimed two three-fors. He will be confident in standing up to the Mahmudullah challenge.

Marcus Stoinis vs Shoriful Islam

In Glenn Maxwell’s likely absence, there will be additional responsibility on Marcus Stoinis to deliver the goods in the death overs. The hard-hitting batter has chipped in with a few handy cameos, registering a best of 35 against England. He might have a bigger role to play on Saturday.

Young Bangladesh left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has made a few impressive contributions with the ball. He has claimed a decent 10 wickets in eight games, although he has been expensive in some matches. Shoriful has the knack of picking up crucial scalps. Can he add Stoinis to his kitty?

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South Africa will take on Afghanistan in match number 42 of the 2023 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, November 10. The Proteas are in second position in the points table with 12 points from eight matches. They have qualified for the tournament’s semi-finals and will look to finish the league stage on a high. It’s practically impossible for Afghanistan to finish in the top four, even if they beat the Proteas by a huge margin. But Afghanistan would love another “upset” before signing off from what has been a great World Cup campaign.

South Africa’s previous match against hosts India was billed as the clash between the top two teams in the league stage. However, the Proteas came a cropper at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Bowling first, they conceded 326/5 in 50 overs. In the chase, the entire team was bundled out for 83 in 27.1 overs, with not a single batter reaching 20. As for Afghanistan, they suffered a heartbreak against Australia. After having the opposition on the mat at 91/7, they got blown away by Glenn Maxwell’s brilliance. Here are five players to watch out for from the South Africa-Afghanistan match.

Quinton de Kock vs Naveen-ul-Haq

It would be an understatement to say that South African opener Quinton de Kock has had an exceptional run with the bat in the 2023 World Cup. His numbers tell the story in itself. In eight innings, he has smashed 550 runs at an average of 68.75 and a strike rate of 111.34. The left-hander has as many as four hundreds to his credit, with a best of 174 off 140 balls against Bangladesh. He also starred with 114 in the triumph over New Zealand. De Kock experienced a rare failure against India. He was bowled for 5 as he played on to a delivery from Mohammed Siraj. The southpaw would want to get back among the runs for sure.

It will be the clash of the ODI retirees when Naveen-ul-Haq bowls to De Kock in Ahmedabad. Without being extraordinary, the right-arm pacer has done a good job with the ball for Afghanistan, claiming crucial wickets at key moments. He picked up two wickets against New Zealand, two against Pakistan, and two in the match against Australia as well. Naveen dismissed Travis Head with a probing delivery. He will look to unsettle De Kock with a similar line and get his scalp cheaply as well.

Ibrahim Zadran vs Marco Jansen

Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran created history for his side in the match against Australia, becoming the first batter from his nation to score a hundred in the Men’s ODI World Cup. The 21-year-old, who has displayed impressive form in the World Cup, struck an unbeaten 129 off 143 balls against a strong Aussie bowling line-up. His knock featured eight fours and three sixes as Afghanistan put up 291/5 on the board batting first. For most of Australia’s chase, it seemed like Ibrahim’s ton would be in a winning cause. Maxwell, though, had other plans.

Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen has been one of the biggest positives for South Africa in the 2023 World Cup. He is presently the third-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 17 wickets in eight matches at an average of 24.41. The 23-year-old has constantly struck for South Africa at important junctures. He picked up two wickets each against England and Bangladesh and followed it up with three each versus Pakistan and New Zealand. However, he had an off day against India, registering figures of 1/94. Jansen would want to get back to his best against Afghanistan. He can gain confidence with the early scalp of Ibrahim.

Rassie van der Dussen vs Rashid Khan

Rassie van der Dussen has been among South Africa’s many positives with the bat in the 2023 World Cup, playing a number of crucial knocks. The right-handed batter features 11th on the list of leading run-getters in the competition at the time of writing. In eight innings, he has notched up 366 runs at an average of 45.75 and a strike rate of 90.59. The 34-year-old scored a brilliant 133 against New Zealand but was dismissed for 13 against India. Can he get back among the runs in South Africa’s last league clash?

While Van der Dussen has been impressive against the pacers, he has had his issues against slow bowling. He was dismissed by Adam Zampa against Australia, by Roelof van der Merwe against the Netherlands, and by Adil Rashid against England. These are just a few examples. Thus, he may be in good form, but Rashid Khan might fancy his chances against Rassie. The seasoned Afghan leggie impressed against Australia with figures of 2/44. Will Rassie fall to another Rashid?

Azmatullah Omarzai vs Kagiso Rabada

Azmatullah Omarzai has displayed impressive confidence with his big hitting in the death overs for Afghanistan. He hammered an unbeaten 73 off 63 balls against Sri Lanka and followed it up with 31 not out of 28 versus Netherlands. In the match against Australia as well, he chipped in with 22 off 18. Omarzai has displayed that he is a clean striker of the cricket ball.

At the death, Omarzai could be up against the seasoned skills of Kagiso Rabada. The South African pacer has brought his experience into play and has delivered for the team. He was the best bowler against India, even as most of the others struggled. Taking Rabada on will be a challenge for Omarzai.

Heinrich Klaasen vs Fazalhaq Farooqi

After a brilliant first half in the league stage, Heinrich Klaasen’s World Cup form has taken a bit of a dip. In South Africa’s last three matches, he has registered scores of 12, 15 not out and 1. With the semi-finals coming up, clean-hitting Klaasen would want to get back among the runs.

Afghanistan left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi has come up with a couple of impressive performances in the World Cup. He stood out with a four-fer in the win over Sri Lanka. The 23-year-old went wicketless in the match against the Netherlands. Can he get the big scalp of Klaasen against South Africa?

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The 2023 ODI World Cup has now completed five weeks. Teams and fans are getting a much clearer picture of where the tournament is heading. After week five, it has been confirmed that India, South Africa, and Australia will finish in the top three. While India are confirmed for a top spot irrespective of the result of their last league game against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 12, South Africa and Australia will occupy either the second or third place depending on the results of their last league match. 

This also means South Africa and Australia are confirmed to take on each other in the second semi-final. India could meet Pakistan, New Zealand, or Afghanistan, depending on the results. Also, apart from England and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have also been knocked out of the tournament. On that note, let’s look at the World Cup 2023 team of week five.

Openers: Fakhar Zaman, Rachin Ravindra

Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra would open the batting in the World Cup team for week five. Fakhar struck a brilliant 126 not out off 81 balls, slamming eight fours and 11 sixes, to ensure a crucial victory for Pakistan in a much-win clash against New Zealand in a rain-shortened encounter.

Ravindra hit a hundred for New Zealand in the same game in Bengaluru. The elegant left-hander struck an impressive 108 off 94 balls, hitting 15 fours and a six. His knock got overshadowed by Fakhar’s brilliance, but the duo would open the innings together in the dream team.

Middle-order: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell (captain), Ben Stokes

Indian batting star Virat Kohli had another memorable week in the 2023 World Cup. He scored 88 off 94 balls in the Men in Blue’s 302-run hammering of Sri Lanka in Mumbai. Kohli then equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 49 ODI tons by scoring 101 not out off 121 balls against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on his 35th birthday. Kohli was Player of the Match as India clinched the game by 243 runs.

Australia’s batting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell barges into the dream team on the back of his near-miraculous double hundred in the team’s come-from-behind three-wicket triumph over Afghanistan. Chasing 292, Australia had crumbled to 91/7. Maxwell, however, battled cramps in both legs, back spasms, and an inspired Afghanistan bowling attack, conquering all of them. He hammered 21 fours and 12 sixes in an incredible innings, hardly moving his feet towards the end of a special knock. He deserves to captain the team of the week.

England legend Ben Stokes finally found some form in week five. He scored a hard-fought 64 in the loss to Australia and followed it up with 108 off 84 in the win over the Netherlands in Pune, which kept England’s 2025 Champions Trophy qualification hopes alive.

Wicket-keeper: Ikram Alikhil

Afghanstan’s Ikram Alikhil had a brilliant game behind the stumps in the match against the Netherlands. He had a hand in effecting three of the four run-outs, took two catches, and pulled off a stumping as well. He also chipped in with two catches against Australia.  

All-rounders & bowlers: Shakib Al Hasan, Ravindra Jadeja, Chris Woakes, Mohammed Shami, Dilshan Madushanka

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan makes the dream team by claiming two wickets and smashing a quick-fire 82 in the win over Sri Lanka in a hot-headed clash. Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja had two memorable games. He scored 35 against Sri Lanka and claimed a wicket. Versus South Africa, he hit a swift 29 not out and then claimed career-best figures of 5/33. 

England all-rounder Chris Woakes claimed 4/54 versus Australia and scored 32. Against the Netherlands, he contributed 51 and picked up 1/19. India’s Mohammed Shami and Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka will be the main pacers in the team of the week. Shami claimed 5/18 and 2/18 against Sri Lanka and South Africa respectively. Left-arm pacer Madushanka claimed five against India and three versus Bangladesh, continuing his great form.

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New Zealand will take on Sri Lanka in match number 41 of the World Cup 2023 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, November 9. The Kiwis are fourth in the points table with eight points from eight matches. They have been struck on eight points for a while now. Their last win in the World Cup came on October 18 against Afghanistan. Since then, they have lost four matches in a row. In their previous game, they went down to Pakistan by 21 runs [DLS method] in a rain-shortened match despite scoring 400-plus as Fakhar Zaman played a scintillating knock. A win against Sri Lanka on Thursday should be enough for them to book a place in the semi-finals. However, weather again stands in their way as there is a prediction for rain in Bengaluru.

Sri Lanka are ninth in the points table with two wins from eight matches. While they have been knocked out of the tournament, they still have a chance to push for the 2025 Champions Trophy qualification. In their last match, the Lankans went down to Bangladesh by three wickets in a hot-tempered game that saw plenty of skirmishes, the boiling point being Angelo Mathews’ timed-out dismissal. In the end, though, Sri Lanka lost. On that note, here are five player battles to watch out for.

Rachin Ravindra vs Dilshan Madushanka

Rachin Ravindra has been absolutely sensational for New Zealand in World Cup 2023. In fact, he is currently the third-leading run-getter in the tournament, with 523 runs at an average of 74.71 and a strike rate of 107.3. He has already notched up three hundreds in the World Cup. The talented left-handed batter kicked off the tournament with an unbeaten 123 against defending champions England. Ravindra then hammered 116 against Australia and 108 versus Pakistan. In addition, he has also hit two fifties. The southpaw has exceeded expectations in the tournament. Can he continue his golden run?

Promising left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka has been the biggest positive for Sri Lanka in the ongoing World Cup. Even as most of the others have blown hot and cold, Madushanka has been consistently personified. In fact, he is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 21 wickets from eight matches at an average of 22.24. Madushanka has stood out with both his accuracy and variation, making life difficult for batters. He claimed a three-for against Australia, four-for against the Netherlands, five against India, and another three versus Bangladesh. Can he strike early and get the big scalp of Ravindra?

Pathum Nissanka vs Tim Southee

Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka has done reasonably well for the team at the top of the order. However, he will be disappointed that he hasn’t converted his starts into big scores. Nissanka is 15th on the list of leading run-getters in the 2023 World Cup, scoring 330 runs in eight innings at an average of 47.14 and a strike rate of 90.91. The batter should have been much higher on the list. He has scored four consecutive half-centuries in the tournament and has been dismissed for 40s in two of his last three innings. Can he come up with a big one against New Zealand?

Seasoned Kiwi pacer Tim Southee has played the last two matches for the team after making a comeback from his injury. He had a forgettable game against South Africa, registering figures of 2/77 in his 10 overs. Southee did a decent job in the rain-shortened game against Pakistan, finishing with figures of 1/27 from five overs. With qualification for semis on the line, New Zealand will need an experienced pacer to step up. Can he prevent Nissanka from getting another of his impressive starts?

Kane Williamson vs Maheesh Theekshana

Kane Williamson has been amazing with the willow despite being in and out of the side due to injuries. After missing New Zealand’s initial matches, he came in against Bangladesh and made 78 before being forced to retire hurt as a throw struck his thumb. Williamson again had to miss a few games. He returned for the clash against Pakistan and straightaway contributed 95 off 79 balls, missing out on a well-deserved hundred. Williamson will look to carry on his impressive form with the bat.

Sri Lankan skipper Maheesh Theekshana sank to the ground after Bangladesh knocked them out of the World Cup. He cut a sorry figure as Theekshana was expected to play a key role in Sri Lanka’s campaign but couldn’t make much of an impact. The off-spinner has picked up one or two wickets in most games but failed to be lethal. Against Bangladesh, too, he finished with 2/44. Can Theekshana stand up to the Williamson challenge?

Charith Asalanka vs Trent Boult

Charith Asalanka had a disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign after beginning it with a half-century against South Africa. In the match against Bangladesh, though, he stood up and scored a fine hundred. The left-handed batter’s 108 came off 105 balls, featuring six fours and five sixes. Can he build on the impressive knock?

Kiwi left-arm pacer Trent Boult has been among the wickets but has also been expensive. He picked up a three-for against Australia but went for 77 runs. In the last two matches, Boult has picked up only one scalp. Can he stand up and deliver the goods in the battle against Asalanka?

Daryl Mitchell vs Dushmantha Chameera

Daryl Mitchell has been New Zealand’s standout batter in the World Cup after Ravindra. In seven innings, he has scored 375 runs at an average of 62.50 and a strike rate of 108.07. Mitchell’s aggressive knocks have boosted the Kiwis’ scoring. However, he hasn’t converted starts in recent matches, and will be keen to rectify that.

Dushmantha Chameera has played three matches for Sri Lanka after replacing Lahiru Kumara in the World Cup squad. However, he has only managed one wicket in these games and has also gone for a few runs. He must bring his experience to the fore and stop a possible Mitchell assault.

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The fourth week of the 2023 World Cup is behind us. In the fourth week, Bangladesh became the first team to be officially eliminated from the semi-finals race. England remained in last position as their horror run continued. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands were on four points each, while Afghanistan were sixth with six points from as many matches.

Now, shifting focus to the top half, South Africa were in the number one position after week four with 12 points from seven matches. Hosts India were second with 12 points from six games, as they continued to remain unbeaten. Australia were third with eight points and have now won four matches in a row. New Zealand had a forgettable week, losing two more games. They slipped to fourth, while Pakistan moved up to fifth position with an important seven-wicket win over Bangladesh. Here is the flop XI of week four.

Openers: Tanzid Hasan, Devon Conway 

Bangladesh’s Tanzid Hasan and New Zealand’s Devon Conway would open the innings for the flop XI for week four of the World Cup. Tanzid was out for 15 in the loss to Netherlands and was dismissed for a duck against Pakistan. 

Conway’s World Cup has lost steam after a great start. He was out for 28 against Australia and fell for 2 against South Africa. His loss of form hurt New Zealand in a big way.

Middle order: Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Tom Latham (c & wk)

On paper, this is actually a strong middle order. However, the batters in mention had an atrocious week. Joe Root was out for 3 against Sri Lanka and fell for a golden duck against India.

England captain Jos Buttler continued to look out of sorts in week 4. He fell for 8 against Sri Lanka and 10 against India, never looking in any sort of control out in the middle.

New Zealand stand-in captain Tom Latham will lead the flop XI of week four. He made 21 against Australia and 4 against South Africa. Latham seems to be feeling the pressure of leading in the big event as he hasn’t been his usual self.

All-rounders: Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner

Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner are the all-rounders in the flop XI of week 4. Moeen managed only 15 each with the willow against Sri Lanka and India. With the ball, he went wicketless in both matches.

Kiwi left-arm spinner Santner proved very expensive against Australia. He conceded 2/80 and scored 17 with the bat. Against South Africa, he was out for 7 and had bowling figures of 0/58.

Bowlers: Mark Wood, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Maheesh Theekshana

Mark Wood failed to make an impact with the ball in week four as well. He had figures of 0/23 against Sri Lanka and 1/46 against India. Lockie Ferguson was slammed for 38 runs in three overs against Australia and lost his place in the playing XI for the next match.

Another New Zealander, Matt Henry, also had a disappointing week with the ball. The experienced pacer had figures of 1/67 from 6.2 overs against Australia and 0/31 from 5.3 overs against South Africa.

Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana will be the main spinner in the flop XI of week four of the 2023 World Cup. He was economical against England, claiming 1/21 from 8.2 overs. However, he failed to deliver against Afghanistan, registering figures of 0/55 from 10 overs.

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The fourth week of the 2023 World Cup is behind us. After four weeks, South Africa were on the top of the points table, with 12 points from seven matches, while hosts India were second with 12 points from six games, remaining unbeaten again. Australia were steady at third with eight points, extending their winning run to four consecutive matches. New Zealand slipped to fourth. They have now lost three games in a row after beginning with four consecutive wins. Pakistan moved up to fifth spot with a crucial seven-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Looking at the second half of the points table, Afghanistan remain in the hunt for a top-four finish, with six points from six games. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands were on four points each, while Bangladesh became the first team to be knocked out after losing to the Netherlands. England remain last after another luckless week. Here is the World Cup XI for week four.

Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Travis Head

Indian captain Rohit Sharma would lead the World Cup team of week four. The Indian captain played a fine knock of 87 off 101 balls against England in Lucknow. On a challenging batting surface, he held the innings together after the early loss of wickets put India in trouble.

Quinton de Kock scored another hundred in week four, but we went for Travis Head as Rohit’s opening partner. The Aussie made a brilliant comeback from injury, smashing 109 off only 67 balls against New Zealand in Dharamsala. His innings put the Kiwis on the back foot from the word go.

Middle order: Fakhar Zaman, Rassie van der Dussen, Scott Edwards (wk)

Fakhar Zaman made a stupendous comeback after being dropped from the playing XI due to poor form. He scored a crucial 81 off 74 balls against Bangladesh in Kolkata, which helped Pakistan register a significant win.

South African batter Rassie van der Dussen hammered a brilliant 133 off 118 balls in the match against New Zealand in Pune. The innings featured nine fours and five sixes as the Proteas posted 357/4.

There were many big knocks in the 2023 World Cup in week four, but Netherlands’ captain and keeper-batter Scott Edwards found a place for his defiant half-century in their triumph over Bangladesh. With this team in trouble, Edwards anchored the innings with 68 off 89 balls, which went a long way in Netherlands victory.

All-rounders: Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen

This was the week of all-rounders in the 2023 World Cup. Three of them thus feature in the XI of week four. Glenn Phillips picked up 3/37 in New Zealand’s clash against Australia in Dharamsala. He also scored a defiant 60 in the big loss to South Africa.

Azmatullah Omarzai came up with a wonderful all-round effort in the win over Sri Lanka in Pune. He first picked up the big wicket of in-form opener Pathum Nissanka and then hammered an unbeaten 73 off 63 in the chase of 242.

Proteas all-rounder Marco Jansen scored a handy 20 against Pakistan and then claimed 3/43. Against New Zealand, he picked up another three-wicket haul. Jansen had 16 wickets to his name from seven games after week four.

Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Mohammed Shami, Tabraiz Shamsi

Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi makes the team of the week after lifting himself following a middling start to the tournament. The pacer picked up 3/45 against South Africa and followed it up with 3/23 versus Bangladesh.

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami had another exceptional game. He followed up his five-for against New Zealand with 4/22 against England as India successfully defended a total of 229. India have been even more lethal in bowling with Shami’s addition. 

Proteas left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi starred with 4/60 and was Player of the Match as South Africa registered a close one-wicket win over Pakistan. Shamsi got the big wickets of Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel.

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England will take on Netherlands in match number 40 of the 2023 ODI World Cup at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday, November 8. This match will be crucial for both sides, keeping the 2025 Champions Trophy qualification in mind. Defending champions England have already been knocked out of the World Cup, while the Dutch are still mathematically in with a chance of finishing in the top four. Practically, though, it is very difficult. They, too, should thus aim for a 2025 Champions Trophy berth.

England took on their Ashes rivals Australia in their previous encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, going down by 33 runs. Bowling first, England did reasonably well to restrict a strong Aussie batting line-up to 286. However, it has been their batting that has been their Achilles’ heel in the tournament, and it again let them down. As for the Netherlands, they came second best in the Afghanistan challenge, going down by seven wickets. Batting first, they were bowled out for 179, a score the Afghan side chased down in 31.1 overs. Here are player battles to watch out for in the England-Netherlands match.

Dawid Malan vs Logan van Beek

England opener Dawid Malan has played a couple of good knocks. But like most of the others in the batting order, he, too, has failed to live up to expectations. After being dismissed for 14 against New Zealand, he hammered a brilliant 140 versus Bangladesh. In his next four innings, though, he registered scores of 32, 6, 28 and 16. The left-hander got another start against Australia and reached 50 but fell immediately after that. Is the big knock around the corner for Malan? It has been a long wait.

Logan van Beek has been a definite positive for the Netherlands with the ball. He has picked up 10 wickets in six matches so far, going wicketless in only one of the matches, registering figures of 0/57 against Netherlands. He claimed 3/60 against South Africa and also picked up 4/74 against Australia. The Dutch pacer has the knack of claiming crucial wickets. Can he get rid of Malan early and deliver England a big blow?

Max O’Dowd vs David Willey

The failures of talented opener Max O’Dowd have been among one of the major disappointments for the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup. The Dutch had high hopes from him, but he just has not been able to live up to them. 29-year-old O’Dowd has failed to register a single half-century in the ongoing edition of the World Cup. His scores in the Netherlands’ first six matches read 5, 16, 18, 16, 6 and 0. The opener found some touch at last, scoring 42 in the game against Afghanistan. However, he could not convert the start into a big one, as he was run out by a brilliant direct hit.

The retiring David Willey has done a decent job for England with the ball. The 33-year-old left-arm pacer has played four matches and has claimed six wickets in it. When not taking wickets, he has done reasonably well to keep things tight. After beginning with 0/61 against South Africa, he claimed 2/30 against Sri Lanka and 3/45 versus India. In the game against Australia, he registered figures of 1/48. Can he dismiss O’Dowd early?

Jos Buttler vs Roelof van der Merwe

Jos Buttler, one of the most destructive limited-overs batters in the game, has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 World Cup. He has not looked in any kind of batting form at all, and his woes have coincided with that of England’s. Buttler began the World Cup with a decent 43 against New Zealand in a losing cause. He has, however, failed to better it. His next best score was 20, which came against Bangladesh. In the last five innings, he has only managed 9, 15, 8, 10 and 1. Can Buttler find a way to revive his form and score some runs against the Netherlands?

38-year-old veteran left-arm spinner from the Netherlands, Roelof van der Merwe, just keeps going on and on. He might not have tasted the amount of success he might have liked in the World Cup, but it has never been for lack of effort. Van der Merwe has claimed five wickets in the tournament so far, but it’s a fact that he loves a challenge. Bowling to Buttler will be one, even though the latter is not in great form. Can he come up with trumps in the battle?

Sybrand Engelbrecht vs Adil Rashid

35-year-old Sybrand Engelbrecht has been one of the big plusses for the Netherlands in the batting department. He has come in and held the innings together on a few occasions. He scored a defiant 70 off 82 balls in the match against Sri Lanka. In the Netherlands’ last two games, he has chipped in 35 and 58 against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, respectively. He will look to continue his good form.

Engelbrecht will be challenged by Adil Rashid if the two come face to face. Even as England have struggled, the leg-spinner has been consistent with his wicket-taking ability. He picked up a three-for against Afghanistan, two against South Africa, and two each against India and Australia. The wicket of the in-form Dutch batter Engelbrecht could be on his list.

Scott Edwards vs Chris Woakes

Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards has played a couple of very good knocks for his side. He scored an unbeaten 78 off 69 balls in the famous win over South Africa in Dharamsala. Edwards also contributed a valiant 68 in the impressive 87-run win over Bangladesh. After a poor game against Afghanistan, he will be keen to produce the goods again.

England pacer Chris Woakes has found form in the last couple of games. He picked up 2/33 against India and 4/54 versus Australia. It may be a bit too late for the World Cup, but Woakes can still play a role in England’s qualifying for the Champions Trophy. He will look to snare Edwards if he bowls to him.

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Australia will meet Afghanistan in match number 39 of World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7. This match will be significant, with the race for the top four spots heating up. India and South Africa have already confirmed their place in the semi-finals, while Bangladesh, England, and Sri Lanka have been knocked out. Australia, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the Netherlands are vying for the remaining two places.

Australia are currently in third position in the 2023 points table. They have 10 points from seven matches, having won their last five games in a row after beginning the competition with two losses. In their previous match, they defeated Ashes rivals England by 33 runs. Afghanistan have exceeded expectations in the World Cup, winning four of their seven matches. Like Australia, they also started the World Cup with two defeats but have since beaten England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and most recently, the Netherlands, winning all the matches by comprehensive margins. As Australia and Afghanistan prepare for their clash, here are five player battles to watch out for.

David Warner vs Fazalhaq Farooqi

After a disappointing start, following which question marks were being raised about his place in the team, Australian opener David Warner has come into his own. In fact, he is Australia’s leading run-getter in the tournament, having smashed 428 runs in seven innings at an average of 61.14 and a strike rate of 111.75. The left-handed clubbed a brilliant 163 against Pakistan in Bengaluru and followed it up with 104 against Netherlands in Delhi and 81 versus New Zealand in Dharamsala. Warner was dismissed for 15 against England, so he will want to get back among the runs.

Afghanistan’s talented left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was the Player of the Match for his impressive figures of 4/34 in the game against Sri Lanka. He dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne, Charith Asalanka, Maheesh Theekshana, and Angelo Mathews to put the Lankans on the back foot. Thanks to Farooqi, Sri Lanka were held to 241. On his good day, the pacer can dismiss big batters. Farooqi will be challenged by Warner. Can he find a way to get past the seasoned batter?

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Mitchell Starc

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has had an inconsistent World Cup 2023 campaign. But on days that he has got going, he has been absolutely brilliant to watch. He began the tournament with an unconventionally sedate 47 against Bangladesh. He stood up with the bat in the game against England, clobbering 80 in quick time before getting run out. Gurbaz contributed a crucial 65 in the memorable win over Pakistan. In the last two matches, though, he has been dismissed for 0 and 10, respectively. The opening batter would look to fire against Australia.

Australia’s seasoned left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has chipped in with crucial wickets for the team in all the matches, barring one high-scoring game against New Zealand in which most bowlers went for plenty. With that, his streak of picking at least one wicket in every World Cup game also ended. He was back among the scalps in Australia’s win over England in Ahmedabad. Starc registered figures of 2/66, getting the big wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root. The left-armer likes picking up big scalps. Against Afghanistan, Gurbaz will be a key wicket. Can Starc have his number?

Marnus Labuschagne vs Noor Ahmad

Marnus Labuschagne has proved that Australia’s decision to leave him out of the World Cup squad initially was a big mistake. With Steve Smith struggling for runs and rhythm, it has been Labuschagne who has shored up the middle order. He contributed 40s against South Africa and Sri Lanka. In Australia’s last three matches, he has contributed two vital half-centuries, scoring 62 against Netherlands and 71 against England. The batter will look to carry on in the same rhythm.

Afghanistan’s left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad has made his presence felt after being drafted into the side as the extra spinner in a team loaded with slow bowlers. He played a key role in the historic win over Pakistan, registering figures of 3/49. Ahmad dismissed Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam. He starred against the Netherlands as well, picking up two wickets for 41 runs. The youngster’s skills, though, will be tested against Labuschagne, who will look to take him on for sure. This could be an intriguing battle in the making between two maverick talents.

Rahmat Shah vs Adam Zampa

The experienced Rahmat Shah has been rock steady for Afghanistan in the chase after a disappointing start to the 2023 World Cup. The 30-year-old has registered half-centuries in the last three matches and has been one of the rocks around which Afghanistan have built solid chases against Pakistan (77 not out), Sri Lanka (62), and Netherlands (52). The way he is batting, Rahmat will be extremely high on confidence when he steps on the field against Australia.

If he is in during the middle overs, Rahmat will be challenged by the guile of Adam Zampa. The seasoned Aussie leggie has been in extraordinary form. He is the second-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 19 wickets from seven matches at an average of 17.16. Zampa was Player of the Match against England, as he claimed 3/21. Can he end Rahmat’s resistance before the batter gets his eye in?

Josh Inglis vs Rashid Khan

Josh Inglis has made a couple of notable contributions with the bat. He scored 58 against Sri Lanka and chipped in with 38 against New Zealand. He has not been consistent but has done a reasonable job so far. He will look to make a contribution against Afghanistan too.

After his three-for against England, Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan has only picked up two wickets in four matches. He will be keen to come up with a much better effort against a strong Australian side. At the death, he could be up against the aggressive Inglis. This tussle could be an interesting one.

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