2023 ODI World Cup Digest: England in bad shape after Sri Lanka beats South Africa, wary of Pakistan

The 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup has now passed the halfway stage and is heading towards the final on November 19. Each morning we’ll be gathering the latest action and news from the event and bringing you insights from our reporters on the ground.

TOP STORY: England’s title defense suffers another blow as Sri Lanka cruises to victory

Sri Lanka 160 for 2 wickets (Nisanka 77*, Samarawickrama 65*) defeated England 156 (Stokes 43, Kumara 3-35) by eight wickets

England’s World Cup defense is far from over. All the more pity, judging from this latest hollow-eyed display. jos buttlerFormer world champion. The humiliations are coming so deep and fast that they are losing their shock factor, but, suffice it to say, this latest crushing defeat – by eight wickets and in just 59 overs of the match’s 100 – is neither the biggest nor the worst. The most shocking defeat was. Campaign.

However, it confirmed beyond any doubt that there are no miracles left in the dressing room of this team of genuine England greats. The match-up was nominally eighth versus ninth in the tournament standings, but at the time Pathum Nissanka After Sri Lanka hit the winning six over long-on with 148 balls remaining, you were left wondering whether this England team, in this miserable mood, could even match their victorious feat of being knocked out of the qualifying tournament in July Was. Done for teams like West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

Match Analysis: England’s struggle between attack and defense does not leave them in any trouble

The light at the end of the tunnel was a train. England have spent the last four weeks wandering around India, reacting to setbacks and waiting for a spectacular performance that never came. If their defeats to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa had been bad, it would have been their worst defeat.

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was a venue that should have been perfect for England. In the first of five impressive must-win games, they chose to bat first on a flat pitch with short boundaries, were 44 for 0 after six overs and could finally dream big: 350 to thrash Sri Lanka. Will that be enough, or should they look at the 400?

Must Watch: Shane Bond on England’s unwillingness to adapt

news headlines

Jos Buttler said how was England’s performance in the World Cup There has been a “big disappointment” And their set-up was “a shock to everyone” after their eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in Bengaluru left them on the brink of elimination with four group games remaining.

shakib al hassan Bangladesh return to World Cup camp in KolkataOn Thursday evening he reduced his three-day visit to Dhaka to two days. Shakib had gone to Dhaka for a net session with his childhood mentor Nazmul Abedin Faheem on October 25.

match preview

Pakistan vs South Africa, Chennai (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEDT)

As one campaign resolves, another takes full swing. This has been a familiar theme for Pakistan and South Africa for much of the history of ICC tournaments. While South Africa often look one of the strongest sides in the early stages of these tournaments, Pakistan continue to stumble and stumble until they have no margin for error left, and then they roar into life. This fixture, timed to coincide with that point of crossroads in the World Cup group stage, gives added emphasis to that narrative with South Africa being a little cautious and Pakistan being a little more optimistic.

But South Africa is trying to create history in this World Cup, while Pakistan is in danger of participating in this World Cup. South Africa’s enormous talent combined with clinical effectiveness has given the side the tenacity and ruthlessness they have often been accused of lacking. The team may always look vulnerable with Marco Jensen at number seven, but almost all of the top six players have been in such excellent form, no side bar the Netherlands has been able to force their way into that line-up until Unless explosive damage has already been done. to be done.

team news

Pakistan: (Probable) 1 Abdullah Shafiq, 2 Imam-ul-Haq/Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam (captain), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Usama Mir, 9 Mohammad Wasim Junior, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf

South Africa: (Probable) 1 Temba Bavuma (captain), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Johnson, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Tabraiz Shamsi, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Lizad Williams

Analysis: How Heinrich Klaasen turns the boss around with a devastating half-pull

When does pulling no longer stop pulling? If you’re the type of person who spends too much time focusing on the exact meanings of cricket words, you might find yourself pondering this when you watch this. heinrich classen Play pull.

Most simply defined, a pull is a horizontally-batted shot hit across the line of a short-pitched ball. Klaasen’s pull, particularly against spin bowling, regularly fails to check all three of those boxes.