With the match schedule still under wraps and the main title contenders preoccupied with test cricket, there is a distinct lack of buzz around the 50-overs World Cup five months out from its expected start in October.
The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) has indicated the dates and locations for the 13th edition of the showcase competition will be released in “due course” and the host Indian board maintains the same.
“The discussion with the ICC is going on and we’ll soon announce the dates and venues,” a top official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated.
According to Indian media, it will happen after the IPL ends on May 28.
The lack of information, unprecedented for a major athletic event, may frustrate supporters traveling to India, but it won’t affect the eight qualifying teams’ preparations.
Even though their attention is on recovering the Ashes from Australia in the test series starting next month, England dominates short-format cricket.
Jofra Archer is a doubt for that series because of a niggling elbow injury and white-ball skipper Jos Buttler will be hoping the speedster is back to full health before the World Cup.
The defending champions have also left the door open for Ben Stokes to return to the one-day fold if the all-rounder, the hero of the 2019 final, reconsiders his unexpected ODI retirement.
England’s labored 2-1 ODI series win in Bangladesh in March was followed by a shocking 3-0 Twenty20 loss, which will have erased any complacency.
Rohit Sharma’s team hasn’t settled since winning the 2011 World Cup.
Jasprit Bumrah’s back issue has kept him out of the IPL and the WTC final against Australia next month.
Rishabh Pant is recovering from a horrific car crash and may miss the World Cup.
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Five-time winners Australia are likewise engaged with the WTC final at the Oval, which will be followed swiftly by the Ashes.
This year, Pat Cummins and his team lost the test series but won the one-dayers in India.
The World Cup will be familiar to 14 Australian cricketers, including many top players, who played in the IPL.
After Kane Williamson sustained a significant knee injury in the IPL, New Zealand, who lost the 2019 final on boundary count, are unlikely to qualify.
Williamson’s absence would make it the first ODI World Cup when not a single country returns with the same skipper as they had in the previous edition.
While their best batsman may still travel as a team mentor, Tom Latham is likely to lead New Zealand ahead of test skipper Tim Southee.
“That’s something that still needs to be worked out,” coach Gary Stead said Tuesday.
“Tim’s captain in the test team as well, but Tom’s had a lot of white-ball experience for us in the past.”
After beating a weakened New Zealand 4-1 earlier this month, former champions Pakistan have reason for optimism.
Pakistan momentarily led the ODI standings throughout the series, and captain Babar Azam tops the batting rankings, with Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq also in the top four.
“Winning the series is great and so is achieving number one ranking that has set us in a good position for the World Cup,” Babar remarked.
South Africa qualified directly, while previous champions West Indies and Sri Lanka will fight with eight other nations for the remaining two berths in India.