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The 2023 ICC World Cup got underway on Thursday with defending champions England, who are favourites to retain their title despite playing in alien conditions, getting outplayed by New Zealand.
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra starred in the tournament opener at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, slamming centuries and stitching a mammoth 273-run second-wicket stand. The pair stood tall and helped the Black Caps over the line in dominant fashion after getting off to a shaky start in a chase of 283.
Read | Ravindra, Conway blow England away with aggressive approach
It was far from ideal a start for the English team, who are looking to become only the third team in the history of ICC’s showpiece event to successfully retain their title after West Indies (1975 and 1979) and Australia (1999, 2003 and 2007). However, it certainly doesn’t spell the end of the road for Jos Buttler and Co.
England, after all, had faced similar hurdles in the 2019 ICC World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup campaigns, and would go on to be crowned champions in both tournaments.
With the sheer number of match-winners at their disposal as well as the enviable balance that they manage to strike in their XI more often than not, the English team and their supporters will remain hopeful of turning things around as early as their very next outing.
And if you ask former England opener Alex Hales, this team is in safe hands with Buttler as their leader.
When asked to rate Buttler as captain, Hales said, “Brilliant. I’ve played alongside Jos for a long time now and I think he’s always been a natural leader. So I think England are in very safe hands with him and Matthew Mott as head coach in white-ball cricket going forward. For sure one of the best leaders and captains I’ve played under, and in my opinion probably the best white-ball batter in the world. So I think England are in safe hands.”
Factbox: How England have fared in ICC World Cup over the years
Hales had played under Buttler’s leadership in last year’s T20 World Cup Down Under. The explosive opener was recalled into the England team as a replacement for Jonny Bairstow, who had suffered a freak injury earlier that year for the tour of Pakistan as well as the T20 World Cup.
Hales would score a half-century against Pakistan in Karachi in his first international appearance in three years, and would be even more destructive opening alongside Buttler in the World Cup, where he struck three half-centuries including an unbeaten 86 against India in the semi-final in Adelaide.
Read | Alex Hales ‘delivers in spades’ to cap England redemption
His last international appearance was in the final against Pakistan, where he was dismissed for 1. Hales would announce his retirement from international cricket in August the following year, opting to focus on franchise cricket.
The ongoing World Cup also features star all-rounder Ben Stokes, England’s hero of the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand at Lord’s and an individual who always appears to turn up for his side on big occasions. Like Moeen Ali in the Ashes earlier this year, Stokes decided to come out of ODI retirement to help his side win a 50-over World Cup one more time, and his inclusion comes as a great boost for captain Buttler and the rest of the team’s hopes.
Buttler: Stokes reversing ODI retirement was his call, no point badgering him
When asked to pick the ‘X Factor’ in the English side, Stokes was the name that he took in an instant.
“You’d have to say probably Ben Stokes. He always seems to turn up in the World Cups and big occasions. So I’d say he could be the x-factor,” added Hales, who named Australia, New Zealand, India besides England as his picks for this year’s semi-finalists.
As for the Indian team, which not only hosts the event all by itself this year but also enters the tournament as the Asian champions along with a strong recent record, Hales felt they were “right up there with the favourites.”
Despite being billed as the favourites in a number of tournaments in recent years, India have somehow always fallen short of title success, and the last time they won an ICC tournament was a decade ago during the 2013 Champions Trophy.
“I think they are a very strong side. India always are a strong side, such a big pool of players to pick from, and a very strong T20 league as well. So I think they’ll be one of the favourites for sure, especially in the home conditions as well. So I’d say they’re probably up there with the favourites, especially in the home conditions,” added Hales.
Hales’ most recent appearance was with the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, his second franchise the West Indian T20 league after the Barbados Tridents, with whom he had won the 2019 edition.
The Tallawahs, who are sponsored by Parimatch, entered the 11th season of the CPL as defending champions, and managed to scrape their way into the playoffs after a mixed run in the league stage, winning four and losing five with one game rained off.
They defeated St Lucia Kings in the Eliminator, and would have been sensing a second title in as many seasons and their fourth overall when Guyana Amazon Warriors stopped them on their tracks with an 81-run mauling. The Amazon Warriors would then go on to thrash Trinbago Knight Riders by nine wickets in the final to win their maiden CPL title.
“It’s been enjoyable. It’s a great team to be involved with. There’s been some pressure on us to try and defend our title, but I’ve really enjoyed the environment. Some great guys in the squad and made some friends for sure. It’s been an enjoyable couple of weeks,” Hales said when asked to described the journey with the Tallawahs.
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