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Mark Ramprakash Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) was excellent in the opening match of the tournament and his level hardly dropped. He is a wonderfully talented left-hander, aesthetically very good to look at, who hits the ball with elegant power and has a good head on his shoulders. Add some penetrating left-arm spin and you have a serious talent with a bright future.
Barney Ronay Mohammed Shami (India). A serious impact in a team that is already racing around the field. Fast-medium line and length is the new rock and roll.
Ali Martin The ICC confirmed that it remains a batting game by opting for Virat Kohli (India). But despite his avalanche of runs, Shami – purveyor of some of the most precise seaming outside Savile Row – was probably the standout performer of the tournament.
Geoff Lemon An all-round bringer of change, Azmatullah Omarzai transformed Afghanistan from a spin-heavy and bat-light side. Attacked good bowling, scored quickly, kept his composure, often unbeaten, and bowled hard overs with a quick swing at times.
Simon Burnton Openers have averaged over 50 in World Cups before, but never at the strike rate that Rohit Sharma (India) has maintained in this tournament. Game after game, he set the tone for India with the most emphatic style and under the greatest pressure, giving the rest of his batsmen the freedom to achieve all kinds of ridiculous things.
Tanya Aldred Kohli. Blew the pressure despite 48 larger-than-life cutouts following him to Eden Gardens, 49 to Bengaluru. Out-Beckhamed the Kiwis in the semi-final, making another 50 in the final, before finally being undone by tournament captain Pat Cummins.
Best match
MR There have been many good matches, but Afghanistan against Australia was certainly the most eventful, with the outsiders putting themselves in a position from which they could probably win 99 out of 100 with ease, only for Glenn Maxwell’s tournament innings to seal the victory to grab. from their grasp.
BR Australia’s semi-final against South Africa, which was ultimately not that close and had no fireworks, but reflected the overarching nagging beauty of a low-scoring 50-over knockout match.
BEN Maxwell channels his inner Undertaker in Mumbai, where he rises from a state of tense rigor mortis to beat Afghanistan in the greatest ODI innings of all time. Australia, which had not always been convincing until now, suddenly dared to dream.
GL Australia vs New Zealand. A run-fest, but worth it for the ferocity of David Warner and Travis Head who downed New Zealand’s opening bowlers, and then the courage and class of Ravindra and James Neesham in the chase.
S.B South Africa vs Pakistan was the first real thriller of the tournament, with the former chasing 271 with a wicket to spare after Tabraiz Shamsi, who went on to score the winning runs, somehow pulled off an exceptionally tight lbw decision survived with eight points still needed.
TA South Africa vs Pakistan: A slow paced thriller. Had ebb and flow, Shaheen Shah Afridi at full strength, brilliance from Mohammad Wasim and South Africa nine down with 11 needed.
Best moment
MR Kohli hit his 50th ODI ton in the semi-final against New Zealand and then bowed to the great Sachin Tendulkar, who ended his career with 49. I was lucky enough to witness and play against Tendulkar and his brilliant career, and seeing Kohli emulate and then surpass it felt like a moment in history.
BR Afghanistan beats the world champions. An important event in cricket history and a moment of pure joy for players and fans.
BEN The funniest was definitely Angelo Mathews getting a timeout. Shakib Al Hasan didn’t blink, the old ‘Spirit of Cricket’ debate erupted, officials defended their timekeeping and Mathews posted evidence on social media to the contrary. What a stupid sport.
GL Maxwell’s salmon print, flat on his back with cramps in Mumbai before making another 60 or so runs in the most astonishing double century the world will ever see. Sporting genius.
S.B Some Indian players seemed a little over-focused on individual milestones at times, which isn’t really the point, but to hit a six to complete your maiden century of the tournament and win a match, like Kohli did against Bangladesh in Pune, that’s pretty cool .
TA David Miller reached his hundred with a hammering six off Cummins in the semi-final – holding South Africa’s innings together when all seemed lost (it ultimately was).
The 50-over World Cup will probably…
MR … Continue. In the absence of bilateral 50-over series, there seems to be a view that we can simply give these games a miss and prepare for the occasional tournament. It’s clear that T20s will become the dominant format, but with Test cricket moving out of the top three countries, I think ODIs will remain at number 2, and the prestige of the World Cup will continue.
BR … to be fondly remembered in books.
BEN … continue live, as broadcasting agreements have been signed until 2031. And that should happen. As the global landscape splits in two directions, it provides a stage for the best red and white ball players to come together and compete.
GL …carry on for now as India will want to win one more before being mothballed for good. The frustration over this loss will run deep and last a long time.
S.B …need teams to take it seriously. It’s a great size. But unless the bilateral ODI series is staged just before the World Cup, there is little point, and I fear that if attention returns to the T20s, the 50-over game will quietly languish in the shadows. Poorly prepared teams make for disorderly and unpredictable tournaments (potentially quite fun, in a nasty way).
TA …wobbles on despite the tight status between T20s and Test matches – although the format needs to change. The round robin may be aesthetically pleasing, but it goes on forever.
In 2027, England will…
DHR… have no World Cup winners in the team, and a completely different side. I don’t expect them to be among the favourites: it’s not that they don’t have good players, but the attitude at the highest level in this country to the 50-over game appears to be completely broken.
BR… step into a bold new future under captain Moeen Ali, led by Jonny Bairstow and Wayne Larkins at the top, and reinvent the game under super-cool head coach Salt Bae.
AM… enjoy the golf courses of southern Africa; and probably the better pitches between rounds. But given the likely attrition of players (and captain), plus the reduction in ODIs, forging a team of title contenders won’t be easy by then.
GL… Revolutionize world cricket with cybernetic AI implants before Australia wins the World Cup with Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark and Doug Bollinger.
S.B.… have a decent squad and will play 16 ODIs between July 2026 and January 2027, including three away at World Cup co-hosts South Africa (where they will also play three Tests and three T20s that winter), and so appear to be in danger of appear in a decent nick. It’s hope that kills you, etc.
TA… most of those who received a fully central contract this year will have cautiously retired. Zak Crawley will lead them to victory in the semi-finals, where they will fall to eventual winners Pakistan.