Sportiqo’s Flop XI of the World Cup 2023
September 3, 2024
September 3, 2024
The 2023 ODI World Cup ended with Australia winning the title for the sixth time. While the tournament showcased impressive performances and remarkable stories, it also highlighted the struggles of some experienced players who didn’t meet expectations.
Fans saw both exceptional skill and significant disappointments. New stars emerged and some achieved legendary status, but not everyone performed as hoped. Despite high hopes that certain players would be game-changers, many fell short and ended up on the list of disappointments for the World Cup 2023.
Let’s take a closer look at some seasoned players who didn’t meet the expectations of their teams and fans.
Here is a list of players who have made it onto the flop XI.
Jonny Bairstow struggled to score runs as an opener in this competition. He managed just 215 runs in 9 matches with a disappointing average of 23.88. The England team had high hopes for him, but he didn’t meet expectations.
England faced their biggest defeat against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium, losing by 229 runs. Bairstow, who was supposed to give a strong start with his opening partner Dawid Malan, was out early, scoring only 10 runs off 12 balls.
Temba Bavuma, despite being a solid captain, had a poor batting performance. He had an impressive average of 80 in ODIs before the World Cup but only scored 145 runs in 8 matches and failed to reach 50 runs in the tournament. In a key semi-final match, he opted to bat first under overcast conditions but was dismissed for a duck in the first over.
Joe Root, who entered the tournament as a top player and defending champion, also struggled. With only 276 runs in 9 matches, he didn’t meet expectations. His lack of form proved costly for England, as a number 3 batsman’s consistent failure can disrupt a team’s balance.
Babar Azam has made it into the flop XI of the 2023 World Cup. As Pakistan’s captain, he struggled under the pressure and only scored 320 runs in 9 matches. His performance did not meet expectations, and he failed to deliver any standout innings.
Jos Buttler, who will both captain and keep wickets for the flop XI, also had a disappointing tournament. His performance was lackluster both as a batsman and as a leader, which is reflected in England’s poor position on the points table. He scored only 138 runs in 9 innings at an average of 15.3 and did not manage a single fifty.
Despite India being one of the top teams in the World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav had a challenging campaign. He was expected to step up in the middle order due to Hardik Pandya’s absence but only scored 106 runs in 7 matches. In the final against Australia, he was expected to help set a strong total but fell short, scoring just 18 runs.
See Also: Top 10 Leading Wicket Takers of the 2023 World Cup
Shakib-al-Hasan had a disappointing World Cup, both with the bat and ball. He scored 186 runs, including one half-century in his final match, but struggled with his bowling, taking only 9 wickets. With just 2 wins in the league stage, his poor form was a key factor in Bangladesh’s tournament failure. It might have been his last World Cup, and it didn’t end on a high note.
Shadab Khan also had a tough tournament in 2023. He took only 2 wickets in 6 matches, giving up 237 runs with an average of 118.50. He failed to take any wickets against South Africa and had difficulties against the batting teams of England, Afghanistan, and India. In addition, he scored just 121 runs in those 6 games.
In the World Cup 2023, Muhammad Nawaz from Pakistan was included in the flop XI list. The left-arm spinner didn’t meet expectations, taking only 2 wickets in 5 matches and failing to deliver the performance hoped for by both the team and fans.
Mark Wood, who had been a key player for England in the Ashes 2023, entered the World Cup with high expectations. However, the fast bowler could only manage 6 wickets in 7 games and gave away 349 runs in the 54 overs he bowled.
With Naseem Shah absent, there was hope that Haris Rauf would step up for Pakistan. Unfortunately, the right-arm fast bowler had a tough time against the batsmen. Despite taking 16 wickets in nine matches, Rauf struggled with his pace and lack of variations, conceding 533 runs, the most by any bowler in a single ODI World Cup edition.
Underneath is the Sportiqo’s flop XI of the World Cup 2023:
1. Jonny Bairstow
2. Temba Bavuma
3. Joe Root
4. Babar Azam
5. Jos Buttler (captain & wicket-keeper)
6. Suryakumar Yadav
7. Shakib al Hasan
8. Shadab Khan
9. Muhammad Nawaz
10. Mark Wood
11. Haris Rauf
Many experienced players struggled during the 2023 World Cup. Sportiqo’s Flop XI for the 2023 World Cup includes 6 batsmen, 2 spin-bowling all-rounders, and 3 bowlers. The team has strong batting options up to the 8th position and 5 different bowling choices.
This lineup features 4 players from Pakistan, 4 from England, and 1 each from India, South Africa, and Bangladesh. Jos Buttler will captain the team and serve as the wicketkeeper.
