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As the curtain falls on the league stage of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the tournament’s narrative is not only woven with tales of triumph but also shadowed by the struggles of some seasoned players who found themselves on the wrong side of expectations.
It is worth mentioning that there were some prominent faces who had huge expectations of fans on their shoulders but failed to perform well in the tournament, leaving their team and supporters disheartened. On that note, here’s a Flop XI of the World Cup 2023 that features those cricketers who failed to make much impact in the league stage of the tournament.
The flop playing XI of the ODI World Cup 2023
Openers
The opening spots in the flop XI will go to South Africa’s Temba Bavuma and New Zealand’s Tom Latham. Both seasoned players failed to make a substantial impact with the bat despite their respective teams securing spots in the semi-finals. Bavuma’s leadership on the field remained strong, but his batting form left much to be desired, and he contributed just 145 runs at an average of 20.71 in seven games, reflecting the challenges faced by a captain under the weight of expectations. On the other hand, Latham also had a flop show and could manage just 155 runs at an average of 31 in nine matches.
Middle-order batters
Moving into the middle order, England‘s captain, Jos Buttler, will take centre stage as the leader of the Flop XI. Known for his aggressive batting style and swashbuckling strokes, Buttler failed to find his rhythm, contributing only 138 runs in nine matches at an average of 15.33 for his team. The burden of captaincy, combined with the pressure of a global tournament, seemed to affect Buttler’s usual flair, leaving England fans yearning for the explosive innings they had expected.
Joining Buttler in the middle order, letdown is Josh Inglis of Australia and Liam Livingstone of England. Inglis, the Aussie wicketkeeper, missed just one league-stage game but struggled to leave a mark with the bat, tallying only 131 runs at an average of 18.71. Despite receiving backing from the England camp, Livingstone managed a mere 60 runs in six matches.
Also READ: From Virat Kohli to Adam Zampa – Best playing XI of the ODI World Cup 2023
All-rounders
The first all-rounder slot in the Flop XI is occupied by Shadab Khan from Pakistan. While Shadab had a decent run with the bat, accumulating 121 runs at an average of 24.20, his impact in the bowling department was minimal, securing only two wickets. The vice-captaincy seemed to add an extra layer of responsibility, and Shadab struggled to find the balance between contributing with both bat and ball.
Mohammad Nabi from Afghanistan also finds himself in the all-rounder’s category of the Flop XI. Nabi, known for his all-round capabilities, showcased promise with the ball, taking eight wickets in nine matches. However, his batting form was a disaster, managing just 55 runs. The inability to contribute significantly in both departments reflected the challenges faced by a seasoned campaigner like Nabi.
Another all-rounder is Dhananjaya de Silva from Sri Lanka. Playing eight matches, de Silva failed to secure a single wicket with the ball, and his contributions with the bat were lacklustre, accumulating 140 runs. The absence of a wicket-taking impact compounded Sri Lanka’s challenges in the tournament.
Bowlers
In the bowling department, Mustafizur Rahman from Bangladesh struggled to make a mark, securing only five wickets in eight matches. Mustafizur’s inability to provide breakthroughs at crucial junctures was a setback for his team, which had a woeful campaign.
Joining Mustafizur is Maheesh Theekshana from Sri Lanka, who managed to secure six wickets in eight matches but had a below-par campaign. Theekshana’s performances were overshadowed by the inability to make a significant impact in crucial situations, leaving Sri Lanka yearning for more wicket-taking contributions.
The highlight in the bowling department of Flop XI is Haris Rauf from Pakistan. Despite taking an impressive 16 wickets, Rauf’s economy rate was alarming, conceding more than 500 runs. While wicket-takers are often celebrated, the sheer volume of runs conceded by Rauf raised concerns about his impact on Pakistan’s overall bowling strategy.
