The excitement for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup is building up as the tournament is set to kick off on October 5 in India. The defending champions England will take on the runners-up of the 2019 World Cup in the opening match of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
England, in recent times, have proved themselves to be a powerhouse in the ODI format. They will be keen to showcase their prowess on the global stage in the upcoming tournament and defend their title. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently named a formidable 15-member squad for the competition.
In this article, we delve into the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for Team England ahead of the 2023 World Cup.
SWOT Analysis of England Squad:
Strengths:
England’s biggest strength in recent times in ODI cricket has been their formidable batting line-up. The likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, and Ben Stokes make a deadly combination. The depth in the batting attack provides stability and adaptability to the team, with players who can play in different gears.
Dawid Malan is the leading run-scorer for England this year in ODIs. He has scored 591 runs at an average of 73.87 with three centuries and as many fifties. Meanwhile, skipper Jos Buttler has made valuable contributions with the bat, averaging 60.88. All-rounder Ben Stokes, who has come out of retirement to play the World Cup is a huge boost for the team. He recently slammed 182 runs off just 124 deliveries against New Zealand.
Weaknesses:
Adil Rashid is the leading wicket-taker for England this year in ODIs. He has taken 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 6.09. However, apart from him, there is no front-line spinner for England. It can prove to be a concern for them as Indian wickets are most suited to spinners. Moeen Ali is an option for them, however, he has had a lukewarm year, taking just 11 wickets in nine matches.
Opportunities:
England will hope to defend their title in the 2023 ODI World Cup. They defeated New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final. If England manages to defend their title, they will become the third team to achieve this feat. West Indies and Australia are the two teams who have won World Cups in consecutive editions. West Indies won the 1975 and 1979 editions, while Australia won the 1999, 2003 and 2007 consecutive editions.
Threats:
England hasn’t enjoyed much success in Indian conditions in recent years in ODI cricket. They have won only four ODI matches in India since 2011, and have lost 12. Another threat to England is their middle order’s inexperience in Indian conditions. Liam Livingstone has only played two ODIs in India previously, while Harry Brook has yet to play in India. Moeen Ali too doesn’t record with the bat in Indian conditions, averaging just 28.80 in ODI cricket.
Squad:
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes
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