2023 Cricket World Cup Review

The 2023 Cricket World Cup will go down as one of the greatest editions in the tournament’s history. Thanks to countless upsets, memorable matches and outstanding individual performances, the six-week spectacle will be forgotten in a hurry. 

Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look back at the 13th edition of the tournament. Sports Hub’s 2023 Cricket World Cup review covers all the key storylines, player stats, historical data and a whole lot more. 

The Story of the 2023 Cricket World Cup 

• Dates: October 5 – November 19, 2023 
• Host Nation: India 
• Champions: Australia 
• Runners-Up: India 
• Player of the Tournament: Virat Kohli, India 
• Most Runs: Virat Kohli, India (765) 
• Most Wickets: Mohammad Shami, India (24) 

India hosted the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup, but the tournament ultimately ended in disappointment for the host nation. On Sunday, November 19, Australia defeated India by six wickets in the final to silence almost 100,000 expectant home fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

The Men in Blue won all nine of their group matches before dispatching New Zealand in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Aussies won seven of their nine group matches before overcoming South Africa to reach the final. 

2023 CRICKET WORLD CUP POINTS TABLE 

1. India – 18 
2. South Africa – 14 
3. Australia – 14 
4. New Zealand – 10 
5. Pakistan – 8 
6. Afghanistan – 8 
7. England – 6 
8. Bangladesh – 4 
9. Sri Lanka – 4 
10. Netherlands – 4 

One of the biggest shocks of the tournament was England’s failure to qualify for the semifinals. The defending champions lost six of their nine group matches, suffering defeats to low-profile teams like the Netherlands, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. 

By contrast, the Netherlands and Afghanistan were the surprise packages of the tournament. The Dutch secured memorable victories over South Africa, Bangladesh and England, while Afghanistan defeated England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. 

2023 Cricket World Cup Player Stats 

The 2023 Cricket World Cup served up a total of 48 matches, giving teams and players plenty of opportunities to score runs and take wickets. Let’s take a look at the tournament’s top performers with both bat and ball. 

MOST RUNS 

1. Virat Kohli, India (765) 
2. Rohit Sharma, India (597) 
3. Quinton de Kock, South Africa (594) 
4. Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand (578) 
5. Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand (552) 

As you can see, Virat Kohli scored the most runs by a considerable margin. After notching three centuries and six half-centuries, the Indian superstar also received the Player of the Tournament award for his efforts. 

HIGHEST SCORE 

1. Glenn Maxwell, Australia (201*) 
2. Mitch Marsh, Australia (177*) 
3. Quinton de Kock, South Africa (174) 
4. David Warner, Australia (163) 
5. Devon Conway, New Zealand (152*) 

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell became only the third player in history to score a double century in a Cricket World Cup. Remarkably, four other players surpassed the 150-run mark in a single innings during the 2023 edition of the tournament. 

BEST BETTING AVERAGE 

1. Virat Kohli, India (95.62) 
2. Kane Williamson, New Zealand (85.33) 
3. KL Rahul, India (75.33) 
4. Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan (73.33) 
5. Azmat Omarzai, Afghanistan (70.60) 

Unsurprisingly, Kohli finished with the tournament’s best batting average. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson came close to matching Kohli’s efforts, but India’s superstar batter managed to top yet another metric. 

MOST WICKETS 

1. Mohammad Shami, India (24) 
2. Adam Zampa, Australia (23) 
3. Dilshan Madushanka, Sri Lanka (21) 
4. Gerald Coetzee, South Africa (20) 
5. Jasprit Bumrah, India (20) 

Mohammad Shami and Adam Zampa battled it out for the most wickets in the final, with the Indian outperforming the Australian. Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka is a surprise name in the top five, as he edged Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah. 

BEST BOWLING FIGURES 

1. Mohammad Shami, India (7/57) 
2. Mohammad Shami, India (5/18) 
3. Ravindra Jadeja, India (5/33) 
4. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan (5/54) 
5. Mohammad Shami, India (5/54) 

There is no denying that Shami was the best bowler throughout the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Not only did he claim two five-wicket hauls, but he also achieved figures of 7/57 against New Zealand in the semifinals. What a performance by the veteran paceman! 

BEST BOWLING AVERAGE 

1. Rohit Sharma, India (7.00) 
2. Mohammad Shami, India (10.70) 
3. Virat Kohli, India (15.00) 
4. Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka (17.83) 
5. Jasprit Bumrah, India (18.65) 

India also dominated the bowling average leaderboard, securing four of the top five spots. Sharma and Kohli did not bowl many overs during the tournament, making the achievements of Shami and Bumrah even more remarkable. 

Which Team Has Won the Most Cricket World Cup Titles? 

20 teams have competed in the Cricket World Cup over the years, but only six nations have lifted the trophy. Let’s wrap up this 2023 Cricket World Cup review by checking out the updated winner list after Australia’s triumph. 

CRICKET WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 

• Australia – 6 (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023) 
• India – 2 (1983, 2011) 
• West Indies – 2 (1975, 1979) 
• England – 1 (2019) 
• Pakistan – 1 (1992) 
• Sri Lanka – 1 (1996) 

West Indies won the first two editions of the Cricket World Cup back in 1975 and 1979. Since then, however, Australia has been the dominant force, picking up a record six titles between 1987 and 2023. 

After claiming their first title in 1987, the Aussies won three in a row between 1999 and 2007 before winning two in three years between 2015 and 2023. Thanks to their latest triumph, they have won five of the previous seven tournaments. 

India is the only other team to win twice, while England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have each secured the silverware once. New Zealand has lost two finals, while South Africa has fallen in the semifinals on five occasions. 

The next edition of the Cricket World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in 2027, but there are tons of tournaments, leagues and events to look forward to before that. Be sure to stick with Sports Hub for more cricket content, including news, betting advice, predictions and picks.