England’s best batter in the longer formats, Joe Root, is happy to return to form as his side gears up for their third World Cup 2023 match in Delhi against Afghanistan on Sunday. The Test veteran has made the right noises since adapting to the Bazball-style cricket, playing reverse scoop sixes in the red-ball format and now in the ODIs.

But, heading into this World Cup, Root was terribly out of form, hitting 39 runs in four outings against New Zealand during the home series. Desperate to find the middle of the bat, Root cut short his rest period to train with England’s second-string squad preparing for the Ireland series. He would have even played the first One-Dayer, had it not been about rain.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-he-is-good-but-nothing-special-about-him-ravi-shastri-slams-shaheen-afridi-following-india-bashing-647082">World Cup: He is good but nothing special about him: Ravi Shastri slams Shaheen Afridi following India bashing</a>

However, considering he would be in India for the next one and a half months for the World Cup, Root remained confident of finding form. Given his record in this part of the world, where he averages over 50 in both Tests and T20Is and has eight ODI fifties, Root admitted to be peaking at the right time.

Even during England’s two matches in this World Cup 2023, Root was among the runs – scoring 77 against New Zealand in the tournament’s curtain-raiser in Ahmedabad and hitting 82 off 68 balls against Bangladesh in Dharamsala, adding 151 with centurion Dawid Malan. Ironically, his first boundary in that game was a reverse-scoop six.

<h2>‘Enjoy playing in India’</h2>

"I do enjoy playing cricket in India," Root said ahead of Afghanistan in match Delhi. "It suits my game quite nicely… It's something that's nice to have in the bank when you come to a tournament like this: knowing you've done well previously gives you a little bit of confidence." 
 
Having played enough cricket at the top level to know when to hit the right strings, Root said, "You want to have a lot of runs going into it… but it's about turning up when it matters. In the crux of the tournament, that's when you need to really deliver.

"When you get here and you're in that tournament mentality - 'this is what it's about, this is where you stand up and deliver' - it's a different frame of mind. That's really helped me coming out here, giving real focus to what we're doing. It's been nice to contribute in the first couple of games,” Root added.

Meanwhile, with one win and a loss in two matches, England sits in the fifth position on the points table with two points (at +0.553 NRR).

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England’s best batter in the longer formats, Joe Root, is happy to return to form as his side gears up for their third World Cup 2023 match in Delhi against Afghanistan on Sunday.

England’s best batter in the longer formats, Joe Root, is happy to return to form as his side gears up for their third World Cup 2023 match in Delhi against Afghanistan on Sunday. The Test veteran has made the right noises since adapting to the Bazball-style cricket, playing reverse scoop sixes in the red-ball format and now in the ODIs. But, heading into this World Cup, Root was terribly out of form, hitting 39 runs in four outings against New Zealand during the home series. Desperate to find the middle of the bat, Root cut short his rest period to train with England’s second-string squad preparing for the Ireland series. He would have even played the first One-Dayer, had it not been about rain. ALSO READ: World Cup: He is good but nothing special about him: Ravi Shastri slams Shaheen Afridi following India bashing However, considering he would be in India for the next one and a half months for the World Cup, Root remained confident of finding form. Given his record in this part of the world, where he averages over 50 in both Tests and T20Is and has eight ODI fifties, Root admitted to be peaking at the right time. Even during England’s two matches in this World Cup 2023, Root was among the runs – scoring 77 against New Zealand in the tournament’s curtain-raiser in Ahmedabad and hitting 82 off 68 balls against Bangladesh in Dharamsala, adding 151 with centurion Dawid Malan. Ironically, his first boundary in that game was a reverse-scoop six. ‘Enjoy playing in India’ "I do enjoy playing cricket in India," Root said ahead of Afghanistan in match Delhi. "It suits my game quite nicely… It's something that's nice to have in the bank when you come to a tournament like this: knowing you've done well previously gives you a little bit of confidence." Having played enough cricket at the top level to know when to hit the right strings, Root said, "You want to have a lot of runs going into it… but it's about turning up when it matters. In the crux of the tournament, that's when you need to really deliver. "When you get here and you're in that tournament mentality - 'this is what it's about, this is where you stand up and deliver' - it's a different frame of mind. That's really helped me coming out here, giving real focus to what we're doing. It's been nice to contribute in the first couple of games,” Root added. Meanwhile, with one win and a loss in two matches, England sits in the fifth position on the points table with two points (at +0.553 NRR). WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

I enjoy playing in India, it suits my style: England’s Root happy to return to form as Afghanistan tie looms

England are the defending World Champions and entered this tournament with a badge of being the favourites to reclaim the top prize. However, to realise this dream, they must walk over a few tough teams in this competition, with hosts India being their biggest threat. Although this match is scheduled on a later date - Sunday (Oct 29), England seamer and a CWC winner, Chris Woakes, has sent warning signs of knocking India ‘off their perch’ to stand tall in the end.

New Zealand crushed England by eight wickets in the World Cup opener, but they found their way back by beating Bangladesh in their next match in Dharamsala.&nbsp;

Commenting on the prospect of winning back-to-back World Cups, Woakes admitted the subcontinent sides feel more at home playing in India than the ones from other continents.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-pakistan-world-cup-2023-match-preview-and-result-prediction-646356">India vs Pakistan, World Cup 2023: Match preview and result prediction</a>

Woakes added with each passing game, the competition would get tough for each team, but England would take one game at a time and peak as the tournament progressed, something Woakes, in particular, has done quite a few times in the past.

"It's an incredibly tough challenge to win in India. Naturally, I think the sub-continental teams will feel more at home with the conditions," Woakes said, as quoted by Sky Sports.

"That makes it extremely hard for us to knock them off their perch, so to speak. But we've got the squad and the players to be able to compete. People have looked at us for a while, and we've had a little bit of a target on our back as a white-ball team, around the world.

"It's a tough competition to win, isn't it? Especially here. But we'll give it a good crack. We're taking it each game as it comes. Naturally, people have got expectations of us, and we've certainly got our own expectations of ourselves,” the right-handed seamer added.

<h2>‘Would’ve liked to bowl a bit better’</h2>

Having gone wicketless in the World Cup opener against New Zealand, conceding 45 runs from six overs, Woakes returned to his best against Bangladesh, picking two wickets, including those of Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.&nbsp;

Aware of his below-par show so far in this tournament, Woakes admits he should have bowled better.&nbsp;

However, with him liking to peak at the right time, the veteran seamer is sure of contributing with more wickets.

"It's the start of a long tournament," Woakes said. "I certainly feel that I would've liked to have bowled a little bit better, but they are long competitions, and you don't want to peak too soon, I suppose.

"I have built into tournaments in the past and into series, which I suppose holds me in good stead moving forward. But you contribute every time you go out in the field, so I'll be working hard in practice to try and make sure that I'm on the money when I get the opportunity,” he added.

Meanwhile, England’s next game is against Afghanistan on Sunday (Oct 15) in Delhi.

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England are the defending World Champions and entered this tournament with a badge of being the favourites to reclaim the top prize. However, to realise this dream, they must walk over a few tough teams in this competition, with hosts India being their biggest threat.

England are the defending World Champions and entered this tournament with a badge of being the favourites to reclaim the top prize. However, to realise this dream, they must walk over a few tough teams in this competition, with hosts India being their biggest threat. Although this match is scheduled on a later date - Sunday (Oct 29), England seamer and a CWC winner, Chris Woakes, has sent warning signs of knocking India ‘off their perch’ to stand tall in the end. New Zealand crushed England by eight wickets in the World Cup opener, but they found their way back by beating Bangladesh in their next match in Dharamsala. Commenting on the prospect of winning back-to-back World Cups, Woakes admitted the subcontinent sides feel more at home playing in India than the ones from other continents. ALSO READ: India vs Pakistan, World Cup 2023: Match preview and result prediction Woakes added with each passing game, the competition would get tough for each team, but England would take one game at a time and peak as the tournament progressed, something Woakes, in particular, has done quite a few times in the past. "It's an incredibly tough challenge to win in India. Naturally, I think the sub-continental teams will feel more at home with the conditions," Woakes said, as quoted by Sky Sports. "That makes it extremely hard for us to knock them off their perch, so to speak. But we've got the squad and the players to be able to compete. People have looked at us for a while, and we've had a little bit of a target on our back as a white-ball team, around the world. "It's a tough competition to win, isn't it? Especially here. But we'll give it a good crack. We're taking it each game as it comes. Naturally, people have got expectations of us, and we've certainly got our own expectations of ourselves,” the right-handed seamer added. ‘Would’ve liked to bowl a bit better’ Having gone wicketless in the World Cup opener against New Zealand, conceding 45 runs from six overs, Woakes returned to his best against Bangladesh, picking two wickets, including those of Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Aware of his below-par show so far in this tournament, Woakes admits he should have bowled better. However, with him liking to peak at the right time, the veteran seamer is sure of contributing with more wickets. "It's the start of a long tournament," Woakes said. "I certainly feel that I would've liked to have bowled a little bit better, but they are long competitions, and you don't want to peak too soon, I suppose. "I have built into tournaments in the past and into series, which I suppose holds me in good stead moving forward. But you contribute every time you go out in the field, so I'll be working hard in practice to try and make sure that I'm on the money when I get the opportunity,” he added. Meanwhile, England’s next game is against Afghanistan on Sunday (Oct 15) in Delhi. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Cup: Winning in India is tough but we aim to knock hosts ‘off their perch’, warns England seamer

England’s greatest batter and one of the modern-day’s highest run-scorers at the top in Tests, Sir Alastair Cook, 38, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The former England captain penned a heartfelt note, first shared by Essex on their social media handles, informing everyone of Cook's decision to bid adieu from the game he played for 20 years at the top level.

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👑 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗿𝗮. 
 
Alastair Cook has today retired from all forms of professional cricket.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouChef?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouChef</a> <a href="https://t.co/eE4MdZIAae">pic.twitter.com/eE4MdZIAae</a>
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EssexCricket/status/1712815453288976404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Having retired from his favourite format (Tests) in 2018, hitting a hundred in his final innings against India at the Oval, Cook appeared for five seasons for Essex since.&nbsp;

Once his contract at Chelmsford expired, Cook decided against signing an extension, putting curtains down on a decorated career.

"It is not easy to say goodbye. Cricket has been so much more than my job," said Cook in a statement. "It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed I would go, be a part of teams that have achieved things I would never have thought possible and, most importantly, created deep friendships that will last a lifetime.

"From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under-11s to now, I end with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Above all, I am incredibly happy,” the left-handed batter noted.

Essex was waiting for Cook’s final decision after the end of the County Championship, where they finished second behind champions Surrey.&nbsp;

However, with the coach and most of his teammates expecting Cook to stick around for a bit longer, the England opener called it quits instead, informing his team about his decision on Thursday evening. &nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-streaks-are-meant-to-be-broken-babar-azam-shrugs-off-past-records-ahead-of-india-pakistan-world-cup-tie-646407">All streaks are meant to be broken: Babar Azam shrugs off past records ahead of India-Pakistan World Cup tie</a>

"It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end," Cook added.&nbsp;

"I have always given absolutely everything I possibly could have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over.

“I will never underestimate the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given to me. Now, I hope the Bedfordshire Farmers will find space for a has-been 'all-rounder' somewhere in their lower order.”&nbsp;

<h2>Legend Cook’s career in numbers</h2>

Alastair Cook was one of Test cricket’s greatest openers. He made his Test debut against India (in Nagpur, 2006), hitting a hundred and entering a huge list of cricketers scoring a three-digit score on Test debut.

After serving England cricket for around 12 years, Cook ended up with 12,472 Test runs and 33 centuries in 161 Tests, 159 of them played consecutively, a world record.

Cook captained England from 2012 to 2017, leading England in 59 Tests, including guiding them to two home Ashes wins in 2013 and 2015.

Overall, Cook has amassed 26,643 first-class runs – more than anyone else currently playing cricket – averaging more than 46, with 74 hundreds.

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England’s greatest batter and one of the modern-day’s highest run-scorers at the top in Tests, Sir Alastair Cook, 38, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

England’s greatest batter and one of the modern-day’s highest run-scorers at the top in Tests, Sir Alastair Cook, 38, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The former England captain penned a heartfelt note, first shared by Essex on their social media handles, informing everyone of Cook's decision to bid adieu from the game he played for 20 years at the top level. 👑 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗿𝗮. Alastair Cook has today retired from all forms of professional cricket.#ThankYouChef pic.twitter.com/eE4MdZIAae — Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) October 13, 2023 × Having retired from his favourite format (Tests) in 2018, hitting a hundred in his final innings against India at the Oval, Cook appeared for five seasons for Essex since. Once his contract at Chelmsford expired, Cook decided against signing an extension, putting curtains down on a decorated career. "It is not easy to say goodbye. Cricket has been so much more than my job," said Cook in a statement. "It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed I would go, be a part of teams that have achieved things I would never have thought possible and, most importantly, created deep friendships that will last a lifetime. "From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under-11s to now, I end with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Above all, I am incredibly happy,” the left-handed batter noted. Essex was waiting for Cook’s final decision after the end of the County Championship, where they finished second behind champions Surrey. However, with the coach and most of his teammates expecting Cook to stick around for a bit longer, the England opener called it quits instead, informing his team about his decision on Thursday evening. ALSO READ: All streaks are meant to be broken: Babar Azam shrugs off past records ahead of India-Pakistan World Cup tie "It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end," Cook added. "I have always given absolutely everything I possibly could have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over. “I will never underestimate the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given to me. Now, I hope the Bedfordshire Farmers will find space for a has-been 'all-rounder' somewhere in their lower order.” Legend Cook’s career in numbers Alastair Cook was one of Test cricket’s greatest openers. He made his Test debut against India (in Nagpur, 2006), hitting a hundred and entering a huge list of cricketers scoring a three-digit score on Test debut. After serving England cricket for around 12 years, Cook ended up with 12,472 Test runs and 33 centuries in 161 Tests, 159 of them played consecutively, a world record. Cook captained England from 2012 to 2017, leading England in 59 Tests, including guiding them to two home Ashes wins in 2013 and 2015. Overall, Cook has amassed 26,643 first-class runs – more than anyone else currently playing cricket – averaging more than 46, with 74 hundreds. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

England great Sir Alastair Cook announces retirement from all forms of cricket, pens heartfelt letter

England set a unique record during the opening ODI World Cup encounter against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5) when all 11 batters reached double-digit figures.&nbsp;

It was the first instance in the history of ODIs, traversing over 4658&nbsp;matches - making it all the more monumental.&nbsp;

The Kiwis won the toss in the opening encounter and decided to bowl first as Tom Latham stepped in to fill the captaincy duties in the absence of Kane Williamson.&nbsp;

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RECORD: 
 
All 11 England batters scored in double-digits today. 
 
First such instance in the history of ODIs of 4658 matches. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EngvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EngvNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/icccricketworldcup2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#icccricketworldcup2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/pcVicER1KJ">pic.twitter.com/pcVicER1KJ</a>
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeerviBharath/status/1709904551334310014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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New Zealand dominated the defending champions from the beginning as both openers Jonny Bairstow (33) and Dawid Malan (14) departed within the first hour, after getting decent starts.&nbsp;

Former skipper Joe Root walked in at no. 3&nbsp;and played a steady hand, scoring the first fifty of the tournament, before eventually getting bowled by part-timer Glenn Phillips on 77.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harry Brook, Stokes’ replacement for this game, had the taste of the World Cup stage, slamming a few boundaries off Rachin Ravindra, only to fall on the last ball for a well-made 16-ball 25. All-rounder Moeen Ali departed next as England got reduced to 118 for four inside 22 overs.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/icc-world-cup-2023-1986-wc-winning-coach-dav-whatmore-picks-game-changers-for-wc-642233">Watch | ICC World Cup 2023: 1996 WC-winning coach Dav Whatmore picks game-changers for WC&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

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Captain Jos Buttler injected some pace in the middle overs with a 42-ball 43 after coming in to bat at No. 6 but Matt Henry got a crucial breakthrough in the 34th over.

Chasing the target, New Zealand were off to a tepid start as Will Young departed in the second over without troubling the scorers. However, from thereon, the Kiwi batters adjusted the gears and went into overdrive against the hapless English bowler.&nbsp;

Devon Conway, having the experience of playing cricket in India, courtesy of IPL, smashed an unbeaten 152, laced with 19 boundaries and three maximums. His partner Rachin Ravindra kept up and struck a 96-ball 123-run innings. Together, the duo&nbsp;stitched a 273-run stand which is the fourth-highest partnership in World Cups.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2023-new-zealand-outplay-reigning-champions-england-win-by-9-wickets-643017">Also read |&nbsp;World Cup 2023: New Zealand outplay reigning champions England, win by 9 wickets</a>

New Zealand bossed the game, despite missing out on the services of Williamson and Tim Southee while England were without newly unretired Ben Stokes.&nbsp;

Ravindra was adjudged the Player of the Match for his performance as he became the third youngest to score a century on a World Cup debut - a list topped by Virat Kohli for his century in the 2011 version.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

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England set a unique record during the opening ODI World Cup encounter against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5) when all 11 batters reached double-digit figures.

England set a unique record during the opening ODI World Cup encounter against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5) when all 11 batters reached double-digit figures. It was the first instance in the history of ODIs, traversing over 4658 matches - making it all the more monumental. The Kiwis won the toss in the opening encounter and decided to bowl first as Tom Latham stepped in to fill the captaincy duties in the absence of Kane Williamson. RECORD: All 11 England batters scored in double-digits today. First such instance in the history of ODIs of 4658 matches. #EngvNZ #icccricketworldcup2023 pic.twitter.com/pcVicER1KJ — Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 5, 2023 × New Zealand dominated the defending champions from the beginning as both openers Jonny Bairstow (33) and Dawid Malan (14) departed within the first hour, after getting decent starts. Former skipper Joe Root walked in at no. 3 and played a steady hand, scoring the first fifty of the tournament, before eventually getting bowled by part-timer Glenn Phillips on 77. Harry Brook, Stokes’ replacement for this game, had the taste of the World Cup stage, slamming a few boundaries off Rachin Ravindra, only to fall on the last ball for a well-made 16-ball 25. All-rounder Moeen Ali departed next as England got reduced to 118 for four inside 22 overs. Watch | ICC World Cup 2023: 1996 WC-winning coach Dav Whatmore picks game-changers for WC × Captain Jos Buttler injected some pace in the middle overs with a 42-ball 43 after coming in to bat at No. 6 but Matt Henry got a crucial breakthrough in the 34th over. Chasing the target, New Zealand were off to a tepid start as Will Young departed in the second over without troubling the scorers. However, from thereon, the Kiwi batters adjusted the gears and went into overdrive against the hapless English bowler. Devon Conway, having the experience of playing cricket in India, courtesy of IPL, smashed an unbeaten 152, laced with 19 boundaries and three maximums. His partner Rachin Ravindra kept up and struck a 96-ball 123-run innings. Together, the duo stitched a 273-run stand which is the fourth-highest partnership in World Cups. Also read | World Cup 2023: New Zealand outplay reigning champions England, win by 9 wickets New Zealand bossed the game, despite missing out on the services of Williamson and Tim Southee while England were without newly unretired Ben Stokes. Ravindra was adjudged the Player of the Match for his performance as he became the third youngest to score a century on a World Cup debut - a list topped by Virat Kohli for his century in the 2011 version. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

World Cup 2023: England set THIS unique record despite losing opening encounter against New Zealand

Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit. On Wednesday (October 4), the&nbsp;English captain revealed that the star batter has&nbsp;a slight niggle with his hip and is working hard to recover in time.&nbsp;

Talking to the reporters in the pre-match presser, on Wednesday, Buttler told, "He's got a slight niggle with his hip. Fingers crossed that it'll be good news for us. He's working hard with the physios and we'll know more when the guys arrive for training today. We'll make the right call: if he's not fit to play, he's not fit to play."

Thus, Buttler has made it clear that Stokes will be included in the playing XI only if deemed fit by the medical team. England won't be looking to take any risk with the Test captain's fitness at the start of the marquee event in India. The 32-year-old Stokes recently came out of his ODI retirement to feature in the World Cup and, hence, his progress will be closely monitored by the&nbsp;team management.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without regular captain Kane Williamson, and pacer Tim Southee, for the opener. In Williamson's absence, Tom Latham will lead the two-time runners-up.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sehwag-gambhir-yuvraj-missed-out-rohit-on-his-captaincy-stint-grateful-to-lead-india-in-cwc-23-642574">'Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj missed out': Rohit on his captaincy stint, 'grateful' to lead India in CWC '23</a>

If Stokes misses out, it will be a huge blow to England.&nbsp;The star cricketer has been in top form in the shorter format since his return. In the home series versus New Zealand, last month, the left-hander scored a majestic 182 --&nbsp;highest individual&nbsp;score for England&nbsp;in ODIs. In addition, he&nbsp;was&nbsp;adjudged the Player-of-the-Match when both sides last met in the 50-over World Cup, i.e. during the 2019 edition's final.&nbsp;

Stokes averages a healthy&nbsp;55.08 versus the Black Caps, with a hundred and four half-centuries.&nbsp;

England final squad for CWC 2023:

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

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Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit.

Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit. On Wednesday (October 4), the English captain revealed that the star batter has a slight niggle with his hip and is working hard to recover in time. Talking to the reporters in the pre-match presser, on Wednesday, Buttler told, "He's got a slight niggle with his hip. Fingers crossed that it'll be good news for us. He's working hard with the physios and we'll know more when the guys arrive for training today. We'll make the right call: if he's not fit to play, he's not fit to play." Thus, Buttler has made it clear that Stokes will be included in the playing XI only if deemed fit by the medical team. England won't be looking to take any risk with the Test captain's fitness at the start of the marquee event in India. The 32-year-old Stokes recently came out of his ODI retirement to feature in the World Cup and, hence, his progress will be closely monitored by the team management. Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without regular captain Kane Williamson, and pacer Tim Southee, for the opener. In Williamson's absence, Tom Latham will lead the two-time runners-up. Also read: 'Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj missed out': Rohit on his captaincy stint, 'grateful' to lead India in CWC '23 If Stokes misses out, it will be a huge blow to England. The star cricketer has been in top form in the shorter format since his return. In the home series versus New Zealand, last month, the left-hander scored a majestic 182 -- highest individual score for England in ODIs. In addition, he was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match when both sides last met in the 50-over World Cup, i.e. during the 2019 edition's final. Stokes averages a healthy 55.08 versus the Black Caps, with a hundred and four half-centuries. England final squad for CWC 2023: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CWC 2023: Jos Buttler confirms Ben Stokes 'not fully fit' for England vs New Zealand curtain raiser

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan feels winning the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off on October 5 (Thursday) in India, would be a bigger achievement for Jos Buttler-led defending champions after their 2019 success. In the last edition, held in England and Wales, Morgan-led England won the ODI World Cup for the first time ever, beating New Zealand in terms of boundary count in an epic final at Lord's on July 14.

Buttler-led England will start the tournament as one of the favourites. Morgan believes winning the title this time around would be a bigger achievement as he feels the white-ball captain&nbsp;Buttler has not had the same level of support in the build-up to this World Cup as Morgan had ahead of the 2019 edition. Back then, England were revamping their white-ball teams following a disastrous 2015 World Cup. Thus, the priority was white-ball cricket.

In recent times, Test cricket has regained priority in England cricket due to Ashes 2021/22 and Ashes 2023. A lot of times, Buttler has not been able to field the main XI with many being rested for Test cricket. Even in last year's T20 World Cup, which Buttler &amp; Co. won in Australia, a lot of the regulars featured together after a long gap. Thus, Morgan believes it will be a bigger achievement for England to win this upcoming edition, which is also being played in&nbsp;unfamiliar conditions.

In his column for Sky Sports, Morgan wrote, "The challenges for me going into 2019 were completely different to what Jos has gone through coming into this tournament. Between 2015 and 2019, our sole focus was trying to win the ODI World Cup at home. There was a clear emphasis on having your best players available in the year leading up and trying to get absolute role clarity in every position possible. Jos has not had that."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/new-zealands-tim-southee-hoping-to-be-right-in-time-post-injury-for-odi-world-cup-opener-against-england-642360">New Zealand's Tim Southee 'hoping to be right in time' post injury for ODI World Cup opener against England</a>

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"All things considered, it would without a doubt be a bigger achievement for England to win this World Cup than when we won in 2019. The nature of the schedule has not allowed them to have the type of preparation they would like and being away from home, especially in India where India are so strong, is tough. Winning here would carry a lot more weight than winning at home. I am still extremely hopeful that England can defend the title, though," Morgan added.

Winning the ODI World Cup is certainly not easy but defending it is much more difficult. Only West Indies (1975 and 1979) and Australia (who won three in a row in 1999, 2003 and 2007) have managed to defend their titles. Hence, England have a herculean task -- despite having one of the strongest squads -- to win the upcoming edition in India.

The one-time winners face New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad in the CWC 2023 opener on Thursday afternoon.

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England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan feels winning the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off on October 5 (Thursday) in India, would be a bigger achievement for Jos Buttler-led defending champions after their 2019 success.

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan feels winning the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off on October 5 (Thursday) in India, would be a bigger achievement for Jos Buttler-led defending champions after their 2019 success. In the last edition, held in England and Wales, Morgan-led England won the ODI World Cup for the first time ever, beating New Zealand in terms of boundary count in an epic final at Lord's on July 14. Buttler-led England will start the tournament as one of the favourites. Morgan believes winning the title this time around would be a bigger achievement as he feels the white-ball captain Buttler has not had the same level of support in the build-up to this World Cup as Morgan had ahead of the 2019 edition. Back then, England were revamping their white-ball teams following a disastrous 2015 World Cup. Thus, the priority was white-ball cricket. In recent times, Test cricket has regained priority in England cricket due to Ashes 2021/22 and Ashes 2023. A lot of times, Buttler has not been able to field the main XI with many being rested for Test cricket. Even in last year's T20 World Cup, which Buttler & Co. won in Australia, a lot of the regulars featured together after a long gap. Thus, Morgan believes it will be a bigger achievement for England to win this upcoming edition, which is also being played in unfamiliar conditions. In his column for Sky Sports, Morgan wrote, "The challenges for me going into 2019 were completely different to what Jos has gone through coming into this tournament. Between 2015 and 2019, our sole focus was trying to win the ODI World Cup at home. There was a clear emphasis on having your best players available in the year leading up and trying to get absolute role clarity in every position possible. Jos has not had that." Also read: New Zealand's Tim Southee 'hoping to be right in time' post injury for ODI World Cup opener against England × "All things considered, it would without a doubt be a bigger achievement for England to win this World Cup than when we won in 2019. The nature of the schedule has not allowed them to have the type of preparation they would like and being away from home, especially in India where India are so strong, is tough. Winning here would carry a lot more weight than winning at home. I am still extremely hopeful that England can defend the title, though," Morgan added. Winning the ODI World Cup is certainly not easy but defending it is much more difficult. Only West Indies (1975 and 1979) and Australia (who won three in a row in 1999, 2003 and 2007) have managed to defend their titles. Hence, England have a herculean task -- despite having one of the strongest squads -- to win the upcoming edition in India. The one-time winners face New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad in the CWC 2023 opener on Thursday afternoon. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Winning CWC '23 in India would be bigger achievement for England than 2019 title, says ex-captain Morgan

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition gets underway on October 5 (Thursday) with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the Rohit Sharma-led India will open their campaign on October 8 (Sunday) when they face Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. With the mega event less than two days away from commencement, many former and active cricketers have shared their predictions. England's Test specialist James Anderson has also joined the bandwagon and made a bold claim.&nbsp;

Anderson feels England, India, Australia and South Africa will be in the four semi-finals whereas England and India will proceed to the final, on November 19 in Ahmedabad. The 41-year-old added that he feels the defending champions England will go past India in a tight final.

Speaking to the BBC Test Match Special, Anderson stated, "The semi-finalists will be England, India, Australia and South Africa. I like how South Africa turned it around in their series against Australia. Their batting is strong and they have nice options with the ball. Pakistan will be close, as will New Zealand, but both will miss out. I can see England beating India in a tight final."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-2023-sunil-gavaskar-reacts-to-ravindra-jadejas-batting-woes-points-out-little-things-in-his-support-642080">CWC 2023: Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Ravindra Jadeja's batting woes, points out 'little things' in his support</a>

On the other hand, recently-retired England pacer Steven Finn feels England, India, Pakistan and New Zealand will end at the top four but has backed Rohit &amp; Co. to win the coveted title. Finn has backed India as the home team have won the last three editions.&nbsp;

Finn opined, "This World Cup is the most open there has been in a long time. The lack of 50-over cricket in the build-up will mean some teams will go in slightly muddled about how they approach this format. The four that will reach the semis are England, New Zealand, India and Pakistan. They have the most balanced squads."

"The last three World Cups have been won by hosts - India in 2011, Australia in 2015 and England four years ago. With that in mind, India will win it again this year. They have played significantly more one-dayers than anyone else and home support will be a big advantage," he added.

England squad:&nbsp;Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

India squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.

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The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition gets underway on October 5 (Thursday) with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the Rohit Sharma-led India will open their campaign on October 8 (Sunday) when they face Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition gets underway on October 5 (Thursday) with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the Rohit Sharma-led India will open their campaign on October 8 (Sunday) when they face Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. With the mega event less than two days away from commencement, many former and active cricketers have shared their predictions. England's Test specialist James Anderson has also joined the bandwagon and made a bold claim. Anderson feels England, India, Australia and South Africa will be in the four semi-finals whereas England and India will proceed to the final, on November 19 in Ahmedabad. The 41-year-old added that he feels the defending champions England will go past India in a tight final. Speaking to the BBC Test Match Special, Anderson stated, "The semi-finalists will be England, India, Australia and South Africa. I like how South Africa turned it around in their series against Australia. Their batting is strong and they have nice options with the ball. Pakistan will be close, as will New Zealand, but both will miss out. I can see England beating India in a tight final." Also Read: CWC 2023: Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Ravindra Jadeja's batting woes, points out 'little things' in his support On the other hand, recently-retired England pacer Steven Finn feels England, India, Pakistan and New Zealand will end at the top four but has backed Rohit & Co. to win the coveted title. Finn has backed India as the home team have won the last three editions. Finn opined, "This World Cup is the most open there has been in a long time. The lack of 50-over cricket in the build-up will mean some teams will go in slightly muddled about how they approach this format. The four that will reach the semis are England, New Zealand, India and Pakistan. They have the most balanced squads." "The last three World Cups have been won by hosts - India in 2011, Australia in 2015 and England four years ago. With that in mind, India will win it again this year. They have played significantly more one-dayers than anyone else and home support will be a big advantage," he added. England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes. India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'I can see England beating India in a tight CWC 2023 final': James Anderson shares BOLD prediction

Retired England seamer Stuart Broad feels if England manage to retain the World Cup, it would be a phenomenal effort, but it's the host nation India who are ahead in the race for the title. As the cricket showdown has already begun with practice matches, Broad feels England has the right team to reclaim the glory amidst putting out challenges that could hamper their hopes during this tournament.

In the lead-up to this World Cup, India won the Asia Cup 2023 final, beating Sri Lanka by ten wickets in one of the most one-sided contests in recent history. Having claimed a 2-1 over Australia in the dress rehearsal series for this marquee event, India entered the tournament as the ranked number one side in the world.

With history also suggesting that host nations have benefited during the past three World Cups, chances of India following the same path are high, provided they play their cards well in this competition. Speaking on the same lines, Broad said though he backs England to do an Australia and West Indies (by winning back-to-back World Cups), discounting India in their conditions would be hard.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-south-africa-pacer-dale-steyn-picks-these-five-bowlers-to-perform-well-in-odi-world-cup-641458">Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn picks THESE FIVE bowlers to perform well in ODI World Cup</a>

“If England manage to retain their World Cup title, it will be a phenomenal effort, but my overriding feeling is that if India play their perfect tournament, they are going to be very difficult to stop,” wrote Broad in his column for the Daily Mail on Sunday.&nbsp;

“Jos Buttler certainly has the team to challenge, one with the ability to post high totals, but I just think India, as hosts and the top-ranked ODI side, will be a hugely difficult proposition to get past.

“Recent history shows you that home teams tend to prosper in 50-over World Cups: it was in India in 2011, and India won; the final was in Australia in 2015, Australia won the trophy; England won in 2019. So, on that basis alone, India would have to be huge favourites,” the seamer wrote.

<h2>Challenges, not excuses</h2>

Pointing out one big challenge that awaits England during this World Cup, Broad noted the world champions might be exhausted owing to regular travelling, as unlike other teams, they are not playing at the same venue twice.

"Contrast to England. Without sounding like I am giving them excuses, they have got a pretty tough draw, to be honest. They do not play two games in the same location, instead travelling from city to city,” Broad wrote.

“Others have the luxury of being able to book somewhere for a week and play two games. They do not. But the fact every team plays everyone else in the round-robin stage means England would be absolutely distraught not to make the semis and final,” he added.

Meanwhile, England will open its CWC campaign against Bangladesh on October 10 in Dharamsala and against India on October 29 in Lucknow.

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Retired England seamer Stuart Broad feels if England manage to retain the World Cup, it would be a phenomenal effort, but it's the host nation India who are ahead in the race for the title.

Retired England seamer Stuart Broad feels if England manage to retain the World Cup, it would be a phenomenal effort, but it's the host nation India who are ahead in the race for the title. As the cricket showdown has already begun with practice matches, Broad feels England has the right team to reclaim the glory amidst putting out challenges that could hamper their hopes during this tournament. In the lead-up to this World Cup, India won the Asia Cup 2023 final, beating Sri Lanka by ten wickets in one of the most one-sided contests in recent history. Having claimed a 2-1 over Australia in the dress rehearsal series for this marquee event, India entered the tournament as the ranked number one side in the world. With history also suggesting that host nations have benefited during the past three World Cups, chances of India following the same path are high, provided they play their cards well in this competition. Speaking on the same lines, Broad said though he backs England to do an Australia and West Indies (by winning back-to-back World Cups), discounting India in their conditions would be hard. ALSO READ: Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn picks THESE FIVE bowlers to perform well in ODI World Cup “If England manage to retain their World Cup title, it will be a phenomenal effort, but my overriding feeling is that if India play their perfect tournament, they are going to be very difficult to stop,” wrote Broad in his column for the Daily Mail on Sunday. “Jos Buttler certainly has the team to challenge, one with the ability to post high totals, but I just think India, as hosts and the top-ranked ODI side, will be a hugely difficult proposition to get past. “Recent history shows you that home teams tend to prosper in 50-over World Cups: it was in India in 2011, and India won; the final was in Australia in 2015, Australia won the trophy; England won in 2019. So, on that basis alone, India would have to be huge favourites,” the seamer wrote. Challenges, not excuses Pointing out one big challenge that awaits England during this World Cup, Broad noted the world champions might be exhausted owing to regular travelling, as unlike other teams, they are not playing at the same venue twice. "Contrast to England. Without sounding like I am giving them excuses, they have got a pretty tough draw, to be honest. They do not play two games in the same location, instead travelling from city to city,” Broad wrote. “Others have the luxury of being able to book somewhere for a week and play two games. They do not. But the fact every team plays everyone else in the round-robin stage means England would be absolutely distraught not to make the semis and final,” he added. Meanwhile, England will open its CWC campaign against Bangladesh on October 10 in Dharamsala and against India on October 29 in Lucknow. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

England retaining World Cup would be phenomenal but India still ahead in race for title: Stuart Broad

Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has backed hosts India and defending champions England to clinch glory in the upcoming ODI World Cup as the preparations are in the final stage. Murali, the only bowler to pick 800 wickets in Test cricket, will launch his biopic 800&nbsp;in the first week of October and was recently in India. Murali also backed Australia as another team to watch out for as they have all the tools in the arsenal to clinch World Cup glory.

<h2>Murali backs India, England</h2>

“I would say India, England, Australia, and the fourth team can be anyone. These three have more chances. But you never know, cricket is all about luck. As seen in the last World Cup, we thought that New Zealand would win and England won the trophy with luck favouring them,” Murali said during the pre-launch interview.

Speaking on the advantage sub-continent teams could have, Murali believes India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan can have a big impact. India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka made it to the last four in the 2011 edition when the World Cup was last held in India. In 1996, India and Sri Lanka were in the semifinals while the former was in the semifinals in 1987.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Definitely, the teams from the subcontinent will get an advantage because of the spin-friendly wickets, and their batters are used to playing spin,” Murali added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trent-bridge-cricket-ground-to-rename-pavilion-end-after-former-england-great-stuart-broad-641200">Trent Bridge cricket ground to rename Pavilion End after former England bowler Stuart Broad</a>

India will start their World Cup campaign against five-time champions Australia in Chennai on Sunday, October 8 while England will take on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser on Thursday. The latter clash will be a repeat of the 2019 edition’s final as New Zealand will have a score to settle against Buttler’s army.

India‘s first warm-up game against England on Saturday at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati was washed out after rain. India beat England in the three-match ODI series in July 2022, but plenty of water has gone under the bridge since as both will look to start the campaign on a high.

 
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Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has backed hosts India and defending champions England to clinch glory in the upcoming ODI World Cup as the preparations are in the final stage.

Legendary Sri Lanka bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has backed hosts India and defending champions England to clinch glory in the upcoming ODI World Cup as the preparations are in the final stage. Murali, the only bowler to pick 800 wickets in Test cricket, will launch his biopic 800 in the first week of October and was recently in India. Murali also backed Australia as another team to watch out for as they have all the tools in the arsenal to clinch World Cup glory. Murali backs India, England “I would say India, England, Australia, and the fourth team can be anyone. These three have more chances. But you never know, cricket is all about luck. As seen in the last World Cup, we thought that New Zealand would win and England won the trophy with luck favouring them,” Murali said during the pre-launch interview. Speaking on the advantage sub-continent teams could have, Murali believes India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan can have a big impact. India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka made it to the last four in the 2011 edition when the World Cup was last held in India. In 1996, India and Sri Lanka were in the semifinals while the former was in the semifinals in 1987. “Definitely, the teams from the subcontinent will get an advantage because of the spin-friendly wickets, and their batters are used to playing spin,” Murali added. ALSO READ | Trent Bridge cricket ground to rename Pavilion End after former England bowler Stuart Broad India will start their World Cup campaign against five-time champions Australia in Chennai on Sunday, October 8 while England will take on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser on Thursday. The latter clash will be a repeat of the 2019 edition’s final as New Zealand will have a score to settle against Buttler’s army. India‘s first warm-up game against England on Saturday at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati was washed out after rain. India beat England in the three-match ODI series in July 2022, but plenty of water has gone under the bridge since as both will look to start the campaign on a high. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ODI World Cup: Sri Lanka legend backs India, England to clinch glory, considers Australia a strong contender

Defending champions England is due to land in India for the World Cup 2023 starting October 5, and head coach Matthew Mott reveals overlooked star batter Jason Roy is keen on getting on that plane, even as a travelling reserve. With England choosing young Harry Brook over Roy at the last minute despite Jason getting included in the provisional squad ahead of Brook, Mott revealed the Surrey batter is as disappointed as anyone would be to miss out on the spot.

Speaking on the sidelines of the England Team’s mandatory lunch at the Lord’s before they fly to India for the marquee event on Wednesday, Mott said Roy would have cherished the chance to play against Ireland, but back issues kept him out of the scheme of things.&nbsp;

"Yes, absolutely - never in question," Mott said, regarding Roy's willingness to be a reserve. "He is strongly keen to get on that plane. He is incredibly disappointed, as you would expect. He is very determined if an opportunity opens up again that he is on that plane."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kane-williamson-southee-likely-to-get-fit-for-world-cup-opener-against-england-hints-coach-gary-stead-640304">Kane Williamson, Southee likely to get fit for World Cup opener against England, hints coach Gary Stead</a>

Speaking on Roy suffering the poor fate of missing out on the final 15, Mott added, "I know a lot of people speculate about him not playing here [against Ireland], but he was never down to play in this series. So that was not a big thing from our point of view. This time at home for him, if this opportunity does come up, I think it will serve him well."

Although ICC’s rule of every country naming their final 15&nbsp;six weeks before the start of a major event comes as a blow for a few sides, given the conditions of some of their injured and players on the borderline of attaining fitness, Mott feels there is a lot to learn from Roy’s situation.

Mott claimed if given an opportunity, Roy would be the first to grab it from both hands, as it should be.

"Observing him from a distance during his career, he's gone through a number of ups and downs, and he has come out and averaged 40 and with a strike rate of nearly 100 for his career. I have absolute confidence if he got that opportunity, he'd come, and he's got a point to prove as well. We'd love to be proven that we got it wrong. But equally, we'd want 15 fit players, so hopefully, that's what happens,” Mott said of Roy.&nbsp;

<h2>Final XI against NZ not decided yet</h2>

Admitting that as a unit, they are closing in on finalising the final XI for the CWC opener against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Mott said they would take the call closer to the match day.

"We're close, but it's still a while away," Mott said.&nbsp;

"And we don't know how guys will pull up, [it is] a quick turnaround when we land in India. We've got a rough idea, and then it's about the opposition, whether we go batter-heavy, bowler-heavy. The squad we have picked gives us great flexibility,” the head coach added.&nbsp;

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Defending champions England is due to land in India for the World Cup 2023 starting October 5, and head coach Matthew Mott reveals overlooked star batter Jason Roy is keen on getting on that plane, even as a travelling reserve.

Defending champions England is due to land in India for the World Cup 2023 starting October 5, and head coach Matthew Mott reveals overlooked star batter Jason Roy is keen on getting on that plane, even as a travelling reserve. With England choosing young Harry Brook over Roy at the last minute despite Jason getting included in the provisional squad ahead of Brook, Mott revealed the Surrey batter is as disappointed as anyone would be to miss out on the spot. Speaking on the sidelines of the England Team’s mandatory lunch at the Lord’s before they fly to India for the marquee event on Wednesday, Mott said Roy would have cherished the chance to play against Ireland, but back issues kept him out of the scheme of things. "Yes, absolutely - never in question," Mott said, regarding Roy's willingness to be a reserve. "He is strongly keen to get on that plane. He is incredibly disappointed, as you would expect. He is very determined if an opportunity opens up again that he is on that plane." ALSO READ: Kane Williamson, Southee likely to get fit for World Cup opener against England, hints coach Gary Stead Speaking on Roy suffering the poor fate of missing out on the final 15, Mott added, "I know a lot of people speculate about him not playing here [against Ireland], but he was never down to play in this series. So that was not a big thing from our point of view. This time at home for him, if this opportunity does come up, I think it will serve him well." Although ICC’s rule of every country naming their final 15 six weeks before the start of a major event comes as a blow for a few sides, given the conditions of some of their injured and players on the borderline of attaining fitness, Mott feels there is a lot to learn from Roy’s situation. Mott claimed if given an opportunity, Roy would be the first to grab it from both hands, as it should be. "Observing him from a distance during his career, he's gone through a number of ups and downs, and he has come out and averaged 40 and with a strike rate of nearly 100 for his career. I have absolute confidence if he got that opportunity, he'd come, and he's got a point to prove as well. We'd love to be proven that we got it wrong. But equally, we'd want 15 fit players, so hopefully, that's what happens,” Mott said of Roy. Final XI against NZ not decided yet Admitting that as a unit, they are closing in on finalising the final XI for the CWC opener against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Mott said they would take the call closer to the match day. "We're close, but it's still a while away," Mott said. "And we don't know how guys will pull up, [it is] a quick turnaround when we land in India. We've got a rough idea, and then it's about the opposition, whether we go batter-heavy, bowler-heavy. The squad we have picked gives us great flexibility,” the head coach added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Cup 2023: ‘Disappointed’ Jason Roy keen on travelling to India as reserve – Matthew Mott

From Nicholas Pooran to Jos Buttler: Five batters with most sixes in ODIs since CWC '19

Joe Root is gearing up for England's three-match ODI series opener versus Ireland, on September 20 (Wednesday) at Headingley, Leeds. The former England Test captain voluntarily added him to the squad for the first ODI&nbsp;as he needs more game time in the&nbsp;format ahead of the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad on October 05. Root's decision comes on the back of a horrible run in the four ODIs against New Zealand,&nbsp;at home, where he ended with scores of 6, 0, 4, and 29.

Ahead of the Ireland series, where Zak Crawley will lead a second-stringed side, England's regular captain Jos Buttler lauded Root's 'hunger to play' and backs him to regain form before CWC 2023.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Buttler said, "It just shows his hunger to play. He's someone who, over the last four years because of the schedule probably hasn't played as much 50-over cricket as he would like. He's an experienced guy and he knows what he needs. He's arguably the best player in our team and he just knows what he needs to get ready. It was very simple for all involved."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-blame-babar-azam-only-miandad-misbah-back-pak-captain-for-cwc-23-after-asia-cup-debacle-637810">Why blame Babar Azam only: Miandad, Misbah back Pakistan captain for CWC '23 after Asia Cup debacle</a>

Meanwhile, England's chief selector Luke Wright also lauded Root for requesting for more game time and&nbsp;added, "It's great for someone to have that desire to keep wanting to do more. He just wanted a bit more time. It's a great thing for someone to still have that desire to keep wanting to do more and more. It shows where he's at with his game and what makes him such a world-class player that, when he doesn't feel quite right, he still wants to tinker and do more. As much as we probably thought he needed a break as well, he just wanted another go."

Root has batted only 16 times in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup, won by England in a thrilling final, at Lord's, versus the Black Caps. Hence, he is desperate to regain his rhythm before the upcoming ICC event in October-November.

England's final squad for the 2023 World Cup:&nbsp;Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

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Joe Root is gearing up for England's three-match ODI series opener versus Ireland, on September 20 (Wednesday) at Headingley, Leeds. The former England Test captain voluntarily added him to the squad for the first ODI as he needs more game time in the format ahead of the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad on October 05.

Joe Root is gearing up for England's three-match ODI series opener versus Ireland, on September 20 (Wednesday) at Headingley, Leeds. The former England Test captain voluntarily added him to the squad for the first ODI as he needs more game time in the format ahead of the CWC 2023 edition, which kicks off with defending champions England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad on October 05. Root's decision comes on the back of a horrible run in the four ODIs against New Zealand, at home, where he ended with scores of 6, 0, 4, and 29. Ahead of the Ireland series, where Zak Crawley will lead a second-stringed side, England's regular captain Jos Buttler lauded Root's 'hunger to play' and backs him to regain form before CWC 2023. Speaking to Sky Sports, Buttler said, "It just shows his hunger to play. He's someone who, over the last four years because of the schedule probably hasn't played as much 50-over cricket as he would like. He's an experienced guy and he knows what he needs. He's arguably the best player in our team and he just knows what he needs to get ready. It was very simple for all involved." Also read: Why blame Babar Azam only: Miandad, Misbah back Pakistan captain for CWC '23 after Asia Cup debacle Meanwhile, England's chief selector Luke Wright also lauded Root for requesting for more game time and added, "It's great for someone to have that desire to keep wanting to do more. He just wanted a bit more time. It's a great thing for someone to still have that desire to keep wanting to do more and more. It shows where he's at with his game and what makes him such a world-class player that, when he doesn't feel quite right, he still wants to tinker and do more. As much as we probably thought he needed a break as well, he just wanted another go." Root has batted only 16 times in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup, won by England in a thrilling final, at Lord's, versus the Black Caps. Hence, he is desperate to regain his rhythm before the upcoming ICC event in October-November. England's final squad for the 2023 World Cup: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Arguably best player in our team: England captain Jos Buttler lauds under-fire Joe Root ahead of CWC '23

All eyes are now on the upcoming CWC 2023 edition, which gets underway in India on October 05 in Ahmedabad. All the participating teams are working hard to finalise their team combination and keep their players fit, and former cricketers and experts are busy making predictions for the marquee event.

Former Australia stumper Adam Gilchrist has joined the bandwagon and shared his semi-finalists. Gilchrist, part of Australia's 1999, 2003 and 2007 World Cup winning campaigns, feels India, Australia, England and Pakistan will make the top four.

"I think India and Pakistan could feature, Australia and England are another two teams," Gilchrist told the press in a promotional event at Ahmedabad.

Recently, a second-stringed Australian side lost a five-match ODI series (2-3) to host South Africa despite leading 2-0.

Gilchrist, however, isn't concerned and stated, "Australia will learn a lot from their efforts in South Africa when they come to India. They have got three games before the World Cup against India. So, they will have a bit more of a full-strength squad there, that might tell us a bit about where they are at."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-india-squad-for-australia-odis-rohit-kohli-to-feature-in-series-finale-r-ashwin-returns-637248">BCCI announces India squad for Australia ODIs: Rohit, Kohli to feature in series finale, R Ashwin returns</a>

He further opined on Adam Zampa -- who was taken to the cleaners versus the Proteas and ended with 10-0-113-0 in the fourth ODI -- and added, "Adam Zampa, in South Africa, was at the receiving end a little bit but it's different conditions out here in India with different pitches and he is a world-class spin bowler, and he has shown that particularly across T20 cricket, and now he gets his chance in the 50-over World Cup. So it's a very knowledgeable group and they are going to have to use all that experience against batting line-ups across the globe and play without fear."

Australia have now shifted their focus to the three ODIs versus hosts India, which kicks off on Friday (September 22) in Mohali. For the upcoming series, the likes of regular captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith have returned.&nbsp;

Australia squad:&nbsp;Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

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All eyes are now on the upcoming CWC 2023 edition, which gets underway in India on October 05 in Ahmedabad. All the participating teams are working hard to finalise their team combination and keep their players fit, and former cricketers and experts are busy making predictions for the marquee event.

All eyes are now on the upcoming CWC 2023 edition, which gets underway in India on October 05 in Ahmedabad. All the participating teams are working hard to finalise their team combination and keep their players fit, and former cricketers and experts are busy making predictions for the marquee event. Former Australia stumper Adam Gilchrist has joined the bandwagon and shared his semi-finalists. Gilchrist, part of Australia's 1999, 2003 and 2007 World Cup winning campaigns, feels India, Australia, England and Pakistan will make the top four. "I think India and Pakistan could feature, Australia and England are another two teams," Gilchrist told the press in a promotional event at Ahmedabad. Recently, a second-stringed Australian side lost a five-match ODI series (2-3) to host South Africa despite leading 2-0. Gilchrist, however, isn't concerned and stated, "Australia will learn a lot from their efforts in South Africa when they come to India. They have got three games before the World Cup against India. So, they will have a bit more of a full-strength squad there, that might tell us a bit about where they are at." Also read: BCCI announces India squad for Australia ODIs: Rohit, Kohli to feature in series finale, R Ashwin returns He further opined on Adam Zampa -- who was taken to the cleaners versus the Proteas and ended with 10-0-113-0 in the fourth ODI -- and added, "Adam Zampa, in South Africa, was at the receiving end a little bit but it's different conditions out here in India with different pitches and he is a world-class spin bowler, and he has shown that particularly across T20 cricket, and now he gets his chance in the 50-over World Cup. So it's a very knowledgeable group and they are going to have to use all that experience against batting line-ups across the globe and play without fear." Australia have now shifted their focus to the three ODIs versus hosts India, which kicks off on Friday (September 22) in Mohali. For the upcoming series, the likes of regular captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith have returned. Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CWC 2023: Team India make the cut as former Aussie stumper Adam Gilchrist predicts semi-finalists

Member of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad for England, pacer Jofra Archer will fly with the CWC’23-bound team to India as a travelling reserve, ECB men’s chief selector Luke Wright said on Monday. Archer, out of action since April&nbsp;earlier this year with an elbow injury, will continue his rehab in India. Archer was not named in the final 15 picked on Sunday, with opener Jason Roy also missing out due to back spasms, as England roped in young Harry Brook.

"Jofra Archer will be travelling with the squad to India. He is one of the reserves, but we also need to look after him, focus on his rehab," Wright said.

England picked three seam-bowling all-rounders in Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and David Willey alongside the express pace of Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson, while lanky Reece Topley will take the new ball. Two-time World Cup winner Adil Rashid retained his place as a lone specialist spinner in the 15-man squad.

Talking about Roy’s exclusion from the final 15, Wright said he fell on other sides of things as despite him being locked in as Jonny Bairstow’s opening partner for the CWC, Roy failed to make the cut because of injury issues.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-pace-duo-could-miss-world-cup-bus-due-to-fitness-issues-as-final-squad-announcement-date-nears-637167">South Africa pace duo could miss World Cup bus due to fitness issues as final squad announcement date nears</a>

"It's not a decision we've taken lightly. In the early squad, we had him down for opening the batting with Jonny Bairstow in the World Cup...but things happen in sport, injuries happen.

"Everyone was told 'look, this is the 15 we're looking to take to the World Cup', but unfortunately that's the ruthless side of sport isn't it? It's not the nice side of the sport that changes do have to be made," Wright said.

England’s final World Cup 2023 squad –

Jos Buttler (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson

<h2>Root added to squad for 1st ODI vs Ireland</h2>

Meanwhile, veteran batter Joe Root has been added to England’s squad for the first ODI against Ireland starting Wednesday, September 20, in Leeds on request. Against New Zealand in the four-match ODIs, Root had a mediocre outing, scoring just 39 runs at 9.75.

England are fielding a second-string side for the three-match Ireland ODIs.

<h3>Here is England’s squad for the Ireland series –</h3>

Zak Crawley (captain), Ben Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Joe Root (first ODI only), Brydon Carse, Sam Hain, Will Jacks, Craig Overton, Matthew Potts, Phil Salt, George Scrimshaw, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood

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Member of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad for England, pacer Jofra Archer will fly with the CWC’23-bound team to India as a travelling reserve, ECB men’s chief selector Luke Wright said on Monday.

Member of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad for England, pacer Jofra Archer will fly with the CWC’23-bound team to India as a travelling reserve, ECB men’s chief selector Luke Wright said on Monday. Archer, out of action since April earlier this year with an elbow injury, will continue his rehab in India. Archer was not named in the final 15 picked on Sunday, with opener Jason Roy also missing out due to back spasms, as England roped in young Harry Brook. "Jofra Archer will be travelling with the squad to India. He is one of the reserves, but we also need to look after him, focus on his rehab," Wright said. England picked three seam-bowling all-rounders in Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and David Willey alongside the express pace of Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson, while lanky Reece Topley will take the new ball. Two-time World Cup winner Adil Rashid retained his place as a lone specialist spinner in the 15-man squad. Talking about Roy’s exclusion from the final 15, Wright said he fell on other sides of things as despite him being locked in as Jonny Bairstow’s opening partner for the CWC, Roy failed to make the cut because of injury issues. ALSO READ: South Africa pace duo could miss World Cup bus due to fitness issues as final squad announcement date nears "It's not a decision we've taken lightly. In the early squad, we had him down for opening the batting with Jonny Bairstow in the World Cup...but things happen in sport, injuries happen. "Everyone was told 'look, this is the 15 we're looking to take to the World Cup', but unfortunately that's the ruthless side of sport isn't it? It's not the nice side of the sport that changes do have to be made," Wright said. England’s final World Cup 2023 squad – Jos Buttler (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson Root added to squad for 1st ODI vs Ireland Meanwhile, veteran batter Joe Root has been added to England’s squad for the first ODI against Ireland starting Wednesday, September 20, in Leeds on request. Against New Zealand in the four-match ODIs, Root had a mediocre outing, scoring just 39 runs at 9.75. England are fielding a second-string side for the three-match Ireland ODIs. Here is England’s squad for the Ireland series – Zak Crawley (captain), Ben Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Joe Root (first ODI only), Brydon Carse, Sam Hain, Will Jacks, Craig Overton, Matthew Potts, Phil Salt, George Scrimshaw, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Jofra Archer to fly to India for CWC as travelling reserve; Root added to squad for 1st ODI vs IRE on request

England men’s selection committee, headed by Luke Wright, made eyebrow-raising last-minute amend to their final 15 for the Cricket World Cup 2023 by dropping Jason Roy and drafting in Harry Brook. Roy, who played an integral part in helping England win their maiden World Cup four years ago, is out with back spasms and didn’t take part in the four ODIs against New Zealand recently.

Dawid Malan, who opened in three out of the four matches, and top scored&nbsp;with 277 runs at 92.33, including a 96 and a hundred, will now open with Jonny Bairstow at the CWC 2023, with former captain Joe Root coming in at number three. Ben Stokes, who unretired from ODIs following the home Ashes, will take up the fourth slot, with Captain Jos Buttler coming in next. Two hard-hitting all-rounders, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, will play the pinch-hitters' role at six and seven.

Although Harry Brook, who made headlines with his unbelievable exploits across formats in the past year since his debut, failed to impress the selectors with his scores in the NZ ODIs, he still got roped into the final 15 as an outright backup for any position in the top five.

Three bowling all-rounders – Sam Curran, Chris Woakes and David Willey alongside the express pace of Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and new-ball bowler Reece Topley complete the seam-bowling department, while Adil Rashid is picked as the lone specialist spinner.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/like-a-dream-mohammed-siraj-opens-up-on-career-best-spell-as-india-thrash-sri-lanka-to-lift-asia-cup-2023-636894">‘Like a Dream’ - Mohammed Siraj opens up on career-best spell as India thrash Sri Lanka to lift Asia Cup 2023</a>

Addressing the squad announcement, Wright said he is pleased with the final 15 and believes this group can deliver on the bigger stage and help England defend their title.

"We have selected a squad we are confident can go to India and win the World Cup," Luke Wright, England's national selector, said. "We are blessed with an incredibly strong group of white-ball players, which was underlined by the performances in the series win against a very good New Zealand team."

"The strength of the group has meant that we have had to make some tough decisions on world-class players with Jason Roy missing out and Harry Brook coming into the squad," Wright added.

Meanwhile, England will host Ireland for three ODIs at home, starting September 20, flying to India afterwards. England will begin their title defence against Bangladesh on October 10.

<h2>England’s final World Cup 2023 squad –</h2>

Jos Buttler (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson

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England men’s selection committee, headed by Luke Wright, made eyebrow-raising last-minute amend to their final 15 for the Cricket World Cup 2023 by dropping Jason Roy and drafting in Harry Brook.

England men’s selection committee, headed by Luke Wright, made eyebrow-raising last-minute amend to their final 15 for the Cricket World Cup 2023 by dropping Jason Roy and drafting in Harry Brook. Roy, who played an integral part in helping England win their maiden World Cup four years ago, is out with back spasms and didn’t take part in the four ODIs against New Zealand recently. Dawid Malan, who opened in three out of the four matches, and top scored with 277 runs at 92.33, including a 96 and a hundred, will now open with Jonny Bairstow at the CWC 2023, with former captain Joe Root coming in at number three. Ben Stokes, who unretired from ODIs following the home Ashes, will take up the fourth slot, with Captain Jos Buttler coming in next. Two hard-hitting all-rounders, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, will play the pinch-hitters' role at six and seven. Although Harry Brook, who made headlines with his unbelievable exploits across formats in the past year since his debut, failed to impress the selectors with his scores in the NZ ODIs, he still got roped into the final 15 as an outright backup for any position in the top five. Three bowling all-rounders – Sam Curran, Chris Woakes and David Willey alongside the express pace of Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and new-ball bowler Reece Topley complete the seam-bowling department, while Adil Rashid is picked as the lone specialist spinner. ALSO READ: ‘Like a Dream’ - Mohammed Siraj opens up on career-best spell as India thrash Sri Lanka to lift Asia Cup 2023 Addressing the squad announcement, Wright said he is pleased with the final 15 and believes this group can deliver on the bigger stage and help England defend their title. "We have selected a squad we are confident can go to India and win the World Cup," Luke Wright, England's national selector, said. "We are blessed with an incredibly strong group of white-ball players, which was underlined by the performances in the series win against a very good New Zealand team." "The strength of the group has meant that we have had to make some tough decisions on world-class players with Jason Roy missing out and Harry Brook coming into the squad," Wright added. Meanwhile, England will host Ireland for three ODIs at home, starting September 20, flying to India afterwards. England will begin their title defence against Bangladesh on October 10. England’s final World Cup 2023 squad – Jos Buttler (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Harry Brook included, Jason Roy dropped as England name final 15 for Cricket World Cup 2023

England crushed New Zealand by 100 runs in the fourth one-day international at Lord's on Friday to seal a morale-boosting 3-1 series victory as they fine-tune preparations for their World Cup defence.

Jos Buttler's power-packed team were indebted to opener Dawid Malan, who made a sparkling 127 off 114 balls in a total of 311-9 at a sun-drenched Lord's.

New Zealand, dramatically beaten by England in the 2019 World Cup final on the same ground, made a solid start but early wickets slowed their momentum and they were dismissed for 211 in 38.2 overs.

Off-spinner Moeen Ali was the pick of the England bowlers, taking 4-50 in his 10 overs

Both teams were missing a clutch of first-choice players for what served as a dress rehearsal for the opening match of the World Cup in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on October 5.

England's total appeared within range but Buttler brilliantly ran out Devon Conway with a direct hit before David Willey had Will Young caught behind for 24.

The visitors were reduced to 52-3 when Daryl Mitchell was bowled by paceman Brydon Carse with his third ball.

Tom Latham joined Henry Nicholls at the crease and the pair took the score to 88 before Latham was bowled by Moeen.

Moeen struck again, trapping Nicholls lbw for 41 to reduce the visitors to 122-5, with their task looking increasingly difficult under the floodlights.

The spinner dismissed Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry in successive balls to reduce New Zealand to 169-8.

All-rounder Rachin Ravindra entertained the crowd with some lusty blows, but his dismissal for 61 off 48 balls, bowled by Sam Curran, signalled the end of the innings, with the injured Tim Southee unable to bat.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-live-streaming-easy-way-to-watch-asia-cup-matches-live-streaming-on-your-mobile-laptop-tv-630288">Also read |&nbsp;Asia Cup 2023 live streaming for free: Easy way to watch Asia Cup live on your mobile, laptop, TV</a>

<h2>Malan stars with bat</h2>

Earlier, Malan anchored England's innings after they won the toss, making the most of his opportunity at the top of the order in the continuing absence of the injured Jason Roy.

Fellow opener Jonny Bairstow (13) departed early, bringing former Test captain Joe Root to the crease.

Root, in scratchy form, was dropped twice early, with New Zealand paceman Southee injuring his thumb in putting down the second chance, before running out of luck when he was bowled by Ravindra.

A New Zealand team spokesman later confirmed that Southee had dislocated and fractured a bone in his right thumb, putting his World Cup participation in doubt.

Harry Brook, not in England's provisional World Cup squad, failed to make the most of his chance to fill in for the rested Ben Stokes, departing for 10 to give Ravindra a second wicket.

Malan, who scored 96 in the third ODI, reached his three figures in the 32nd over with a whipped shot for two on the leg side.

Buttler soon departed in tame fashion, caught at mid-off for 36, reducing England to 195-4 and slowing their momentum.

Malan eventually fell for 127 edging a wide delivery from Ravindra to wicketkeeper Latham.

Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals but Liam Livingstone (28), Sam Curran (20) and Willey (19) all chipped in as England moved past 300.

Ravindra finished with 4-60 off his 10 overs while Henry and Mitchell took two wickets apiece.

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England crushed New Zealand by 100 runs in the fourth one-day international at Lord's on Friday to seal a morale-boosting 3-1 series victory as they fine-tune preparations for their World Cup defence.

England crushed New Zealand by 100 runs in the fourth one-day international at Lord's on Friday to seal a morale-boosting 3-1 series victory as they fine-tune preparations for their World Cup defence. Jos Buttler's power-packed team were indebted to opener Dawid Malan, who made a sparkling 127 off 114 balls in a total of 311-9 at a sun-drenched Lord's. New Zealand, dramatically beaten by England in the 2019 World Cup final on the same ground, made a solid start but early wickets slowed their momentum and they were dismissed for 211 in 38.2 overs. Off-spinner Moeen Ali was the pick of the England bowlers, taking 4-50 in his 10 overs Both teams were missing a clutch of first-choice players for what served as a dress rehearsal for the opening match of the World Cup in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on October 5. England's total appeared within range but Buttler brilliantly ran out Devon Conway with a direct hit before David Willey had Will Young caught behind for 24. The visitors were reduced to 52-3 when Daryl Mitchell was bowled by paceman Brydon Carse with his third ball. Tom Latham joined Henry Nicholls at the crease and the pair took the score to 88 before Latham was bowled by Moeen. Moeen struck again, trapping Nicholls lbw for 41 to reduce the visitors to 122-5, with their task looking increasingly difficult under the floodlights. The spinner dismissed Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry in successive balls to reduce New Zealand to 169-8. All-rounder Rachin Ravindra entertained the crowd with some lusty blows, but his dismissal for 61 off 48 balls, bowled by Sam Curran, signalled the end of the innings, with the injured Tim Southee unable to bat. Also read | Asia Cup 2023 live streaming for free: Easy way to watch Asia Cup live on your mobile, laptop, TV Malan stars with bat Earlier, Malan anchored England's innings after they won the toss, making the most of his opportunity at the top of the order in the continuing absence of the injured Jason Roy. Fellow opener Jonny Bairstow (13) departed early, bringing former Test captain Joe Root to the crease. Root, in scratchy form, was dropped twice early, with New Zealand paceman Southee injuring his thumb in putting down the second chance, before running out of luck when he was bowled by Ravindra. A New Zealand team spokesman later confirmed that Southee had dislocated and fractured a bone in his right thumb, putting his World Cup participation in doubt. Harry Brook, not in England's provisional World Cup squad, failed to make the most of his chance to fill in for the rested Ben Stokes, departing for 10 to give Ravindra a second wicket. Malan, who scored 96 in the third ODI, reached his three figures in the 32nd over with a whipped shot for two on the leg side. Buttler soon departed in tame fashion, caught at mid-off for 36, reducing England to 195-4 and slowing their momentum. Malan eventually fell for 127 edging a wide delivery from Ravindra to wicketkeeper Latham. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals but Liam Livingstone (28), Sam Curran (20) and Willey (19) all chipped in as England moved past 300. Ravindra finished with 4-60 off his 10 overs while Henry and Mitchell took two wickets apiece. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

England put away New Zealand comfortably to secure ODI series ahead of World Cup

England batter Dawid Malan has pressed his case for a slot in the XI for the World Cup opener against New Zealand on October 5 with a sublime hundred in the final One-Dayer against Kiwis at Lord’s. The left-handed batter, who failed to reach the hundred-run-mark at the Kia Oval, getting out on 96, completed the ton at the Lord’s to finish as the top run-getter in the four-match series.

While his purple patch puts him ahead in the race to open alongside Jonny Bairstow in the showpiece event, the ECB keeps a keen on World Cup winner Jason Roy, who continues to recover from a back injury. The right-handed batter sat out in all four ODIs, and Malan, who opened in three out of the four games, struck gold, scoring 277 at 92.33 and a strike rate of 105.73.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shoulder-injury-likely-to-rule-naseem-shah-out-of-world-cup-remainder-of-2023-reports-636597">Shoulder injury likely to rule Naseem Shah out of World Cup, remainder of 2023 – Reports</a>

Praising Malan following his match-winning hundred, former England captain Nasser Hussain said Malan is disciplined and scores consistently like a machine.&nbsp;

"He (Malan) is disciplined and orthodox - a machine. He is very consistent, the glue that allows everyone else at the other end to come out and be positive.

"He likes to bat through [the innings], but his strike rate is up at 95, 96 so he doesn't plod along. He puts anything short and wide away and is in phenomenal nick," Hussain said.

<h2>Roy needs to play Ireland series</h2>

England’s three-match ODI series against Ireland is a dress rehearsal for the World Cup. While Malan’s numbers and form going into the mega event make him the favourite to open, several pundits feel for Roy to return to the reckoning, he must first get fit in time for the Ireland series, starting next Wednesday, and secondly, must hit top form straight away.

Eoin Morgan, the World Cup-winning captain in 2019, feels, "The biggest concern now is Roy's level of fitness.

"He has to play in the Ireland series as you can't sit in a selection meeting with any amount of confidence and pick him for the World Cup at the moment. He has to go through a certain level of game time, recuperation and then possibly another game to try and prove his fitness,” Morgan said of Roy.

While England had named Roy in the provisional squad, it remains to be seen how early he gets fit and fares with bat in hand against Ireland if given a chance.&nbsp;

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England batter Dawid Malan has pressed his case for a slot in the XI for the World Cup opener against New Zealand on October 5 with a sublime hundred in the final One-Dayer against Kiwis at Lord’s.

England batter Dawid Malan has pressed his case for a slot in the XI for the World Cup opener against New Zealand on October 5 with a sublime hundred in the final One-Dayer against Kiwis at Lord’s. The left-handed batter, who failed to reach the hundred-run-mark at the Kia Oval, getting out on 96, completed the ton at the Lord’s to finish as the top run-getter in the four-match series. While his purple patch puts him ahead in the race to open alongside Jonny Bairstow in the showpiece event, the ECB keeps a keen on World Cup winner Jason Roy, who continues to recover from a back injury. The right-handed batter sat out in all four ODIs, and Malan, who opened in three out of the four games, struck gold, scoring 277 at 92.33 and a strike rate of 105.73. ALSO READ: Shoulder injury likely to rule Naseem Shah out of World Cup, remainder of 2023 – Reports Praising Malan following his match-winning hundred, former England captain Nasser Hussain said Malan is disciplined and scores consistently like a machine. "He (Malan) is disciplined and orthodox - a machine. He is very consistent, the glue that allows everyone else at the other end to come out and be positive. "He likes to bat through [the innings], but his strike rate is up at 95, 96 so he doesn't plod along. He puts anything short and wide away and is in phenomenal nick," Hussain said. Roy needs to play Ireland series England’s three-match ODI series against Ireland is a dress rehearsal for the World Cup. While Malan’s numbers and form going into the mega event make him the favourite to open, several pundits feel for Roy to return to the reckoning, he must first get fit in time for the Ireland series, starting next Wednesday, and secondly, must hit top form straight away. Eoin Morgan, the World Cup-winning captain in 2019, feels, "The biggest concern now is Roy's level of fitness. "He has to play in the Ireland series as you can't sit in a selection meeting with any amount of confidence and pick him for the World Cup at the moment. He has to go through a certain level of game time, recuperation and then possibly another game to try and prove his fitness,” Morgan said of Roy. While England had named Roy in the provisional squad, it remains to be seen how early he gets fit and fares with bat in hand against Ireland if given a chance. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Dawid Malan leads race to seal spot in XI for CWC opener as Roy remains in tight space with back injury

On Wednesday (September 13), Ben Stokes slammed a career-best 182 in England's&nbsp;third and penultimate ODI versus New Zealand at The Oval, London. Riding on his daddy hundred, Jos Buttler &amp; Co. took an unassailable lead in the four ODIs, with an 181-run win, as they prepare&nbsp;for the upcoming ODI World Cup, to kick off in India on October 05.

On August 16, Stokes came out of his 50-over retirement ahead of&nbsp;defending champions England's ODI WC opener, where they play New Zealand in the inaugural&nbsp;game in Ahmedabad. In July 2022, the current England Test captain had called it quits from the shorter format blaming an "unsustainable" cricketing schedule. However, he&nbsp;made a U-turn as England look desperate to defend their title. After his knock versus the Black Caps, which is the highest individual score in ODIs by an English batter, Stokes revealed that he knew he would be coming back for the 50-over World Cup.

"Obviously I've been asked a lot about my knee over a long period of time, so I just said that to leave it," Stokes said, post the third ODI versus the Kiwis,&nbsp;in relation to his comments at the conclusion of&nbsp;Ashes 2023. He added, "I knew that I'd be playing in these games and potentially in the World Cup then when I said that, but it was just the easiest thing to say that and put you (the media) off the radar."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stokes-182-stars-in-englands-mammoth-win-vs-new-zealand-hosts-take-unassailable-2-1-lead-in-odi-series-635803">Stokes stars with 182 in England's mammoth win vs New Zealand, hosts take unassailable 2-1 lead in ODI series</a>

Since his ODI return, Stokes has looked good and has had scores of 52, 1 and 182. He will look to carry on with the momentum going ahead. With his return, England look stronger than ever to defend their title in the showpiece event in India. At present, they will be backing themselves to win the four-match ODI series versus New Zealand at home, with the series finale to be held on Friday (September 15) at Lord's.&nbsp;

England's provisional squad for the World Cup:&nbsp;Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes

It is to be noted that all ODI WC participants can make changes to their squad until September 28.

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On Wednesday (September 13), Ben Stokes slammed a career-best 182 in England's third and penultimate ODI versus New Zealand at The Oval, London. Riding on his daddy hundred, Jos Buttler & Co.

On Wednesday (September 13), Ben Stokes slammed a career-best 182 in England's third and penultimate ODI versus New Zealand at The Oval, London. Riding on his daddy hundred, Jos Buttler & Co. took an unassailable lead in the four ODIs, with an 181-run win, as they prepare for the upcoming ODI World Cup, to kick off in India on October 05. On August 16, Stokes came out of his 50-over retirement ahead of defending champions England's ODI WC opener, where they play New Zealand in the inaugural game in Ahmedabad. In July 2022, the current England Test captain had called it quits from the shorter format blaming an "unsustainable" cricketing schedule. However, he made a U-turn as England look desperate to defend their title. After his knock versus the Black Caps, which is the highest individual score in ODIs by an English batter, Stokes revealed that he knew he would be coming back for the 50-over World Cup. "Obviously I've been asked a lot about my knee over a long period of time, so I just said that to leave it," Stokes said, post the third ODI versus the Kiwis, in relation to his comments at the conclusion of Ashes 2023. He added, "I knew that I'd be playing in these games and potentially in the World Cup then when I said that, but it was just the easiest thing to say that and put you (the media) off the radar." Also read: Stokes stars with 182 in England's mammoth win vs New Zealand, hosts take unassailable 2-1 lead in ODI series Since his ODI return, Stokes has looked good and has had scores of 52, 1 and 182. He will look to carry on with the momentum going ahead. With his return, England look stronger than ever to defend their title in the showpiece event in India. At present, they will be backing themselves to win the four-match ODI series versus New Zealand at home, with the series finale to be held on Friday (September 15) at Lord's. England's provisional squad for the World Cup: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes It is to be noted that all ODI WC participants can make changes to their squad until September 28. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Knew I would be playing World Cup: England's Ben Stokes on coming out of ODI retirement after 182 vs NZ

England Test Captain Ben Stokes has returned to the ODI setup after more than a year and is keen on contributing to his side's title defence at World Cup 2023, starting October 5. An all-rounder of the highest quality, Stokes played the last three summer Ashes Tests as a pure batter and will stick to playing the same role in the upcoming marquee event. His long-standing fight with the troubled knee has restricted him from delivering his best, something even he is aware of.

Ahead of England's first ODI against New Zealand at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Friday, Stokes addressed his knee injury issue, saying he has a plan to fix this once and all but remains unwilling to disclose it right away.

The two-time World Cup winner with England across two formats, Stokes said there is quite a gap after the end of CWC in November and the start of the five-match Test series in India, which begins in January, giving him the window to fix the injury issue.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-plays-golf-with-former-us-president-donald-trump-picture-video-goes-viral-watch-633579">MS Dhoni plays golf with former US president Donald Trump - picture, video goes viral - WATCH</a>

Stokes admits he was exhausted after the Ashes but took time off, going out on a vacation that helped him return fresh for the packed-away winter. Stokes added he has had conversations with specialists in different fields for his rehab and has prepared a plan for the same.

"It's been a good chance to rest up and get into a good position for these one-dayers and the World Cup afterwards," Stokes told BBC. "I've had some good conversations with specialists in different fields around rehab and a plan going forward after the World Cup. There will be the potential of something happening after the World Cup."

"There's actually quite a long time off after the World Cup. I've been having some good conversations with some specialists [about] rehab and physios, the surgeons, the guys who know what they are doing. There is a plan in place. I know what's going to happen; I just don't think now is the right time to say what I'm doing," Stokes added.

<h2>'I wish to play as a genuine all-rounder</h2>

Stokes said he wishes to return to play as a genuine all-rounder next summer, trying to give himself every chance to do what he does best.&nbsp;

"When we do what we need to do to give myself a chance of getting back to being a genuine allrounder, there will be a time when I can say what I'm doing. We have got a very good plan in place. I want to be playing next summer as a genuine allrounder; this winter is all about playing this World Cup, then getting this knee sorted," Stokes said.

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England Test Captain Ben Stokes has returned to the ODI setup after more than a year and is keen on contributing to his side's title defence at World Cup 2023, starting October 5.

England Test Captain Ben Stokes has returned to the ODI setup after more than a year and is keen on contributing to his side's title defence at World Cup 2023, starting October 5. An all-rounder of the highest quality, Stokes played the last three summer Ashes Tests as a pure batter and will stick to playing the same role in the upcoming marquee event. His long-standing fight with the troubled knee has restricted him from delivering his best, something even he is aware of. Ahead of England's first ODI against New Zealand at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Friday, Stokes addressed his knee injury issue, saying he has a plan to fix this once and all but remains unwilling to disclose it right away. The two-time World Cup winner with England across two formats, Stokes said there is quite a gap after the end of CWC in November and the start of the five-match Test series in India, which begins in January, giving him the window to fix the injury issue. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni plays golf with former US president Donald Trump - picture, video goes viral - WATCH Stokes admits he was exhausted after the Ashes but took time off, going out on a vacation that helped him return fresh for the packed-away winter. Stokes added he has had conversations with specialists in different fields for his rehab and has prepared a plan for the same. "It's been a good chance to rest up and get into a good position for these one-dayers and the World Cup afterwards," Stokes told BBC. "I've had some good conversations with specialists in different fields around rehab and a plan going forward after the World Cup. There will be the potential of something happening after the World Cup." "There's actually quite a long time off after the World Cup. I've been having some good conversations with some specialists [about] rehab and physios, the surgeons, the guys who know what they are doing. There is a plan in place. I know what's going to happen; I just don't think now is the right time to say what I'm doing," Stokes added. 'I wish to play as a genuine all-rounder Stokes said he wishes to return to play as a genuine all-rounder next summer, trying to give himself every chance to do what he does best. "When we do what we need to do to give myself a chance of getting back to being a genuine allrounder, there will be a time when I can say what I'm doing. We have got a very good plan in place. I want to be playing next summer as a genuine allrounder; this winter is all about playing this World Cup, then getting this knee sorted," Stokes said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

There is a plan in place: Rejuvenated Ben Stokes on dealing with troubled knee injury following CWC

England's Test captain Ben Stokes admits he is very comfortable with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contract and instead finding fortune elsewhere. Earlier, with reports suggesting some of England's players have opted to prioritise playing franchise-based cricket rather than committing to remain available for the national team, fans and pundits were divided over the opinion.

England's new central contracts are up for renewal next month, and ECB chief executive Richard Gould pledged earlier this year saying, the system, which he referred to as 'an existential issue', needs an overhauling. To ensure that England are playing top sides across formats, the ECB will offer multi-year deals to some players to tie them down for an extended period rather than just 12 months.

Ben Stokes, however, accepts players' inclination to make more money playing the lesser-stressed format across different leagues. England's ace-seamer Mark Wood is the latest player to have expressed his desire to skip the upcoming five-match Test series against India in 2024 to play the ILT10 in the UAE.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-2023-picking-gamechanger-suryakumar-ahead-of-sanju-was-a-right-call-harbhajan-singh-633375">CWC 2023 - Picking 'Gamechanger' Suryakumar ahead of Sanju was a right call: Harbhajan Singh</a>

Seasoned campaigner Wood, on Wednesday, told The Telegraph he would see what ECB has to offer to him, admitting though he wishes to continue playing for England, ECB's contract will help him decide on his future.

"I want to play for England as long as I can, but it just depends on what they say, what they want me to do, and how they view the structure going forward," Wood told The Telegraph. "Playing both [the ILT20 and the India Tests] is not a viable option for England… I will wait and see what happens with the upcoming central contracts and then make a decision from there."

<h2>Stokes 'understands' cricket's changing landscape</h2>

Returning to playing ODI cricket in over a year, Stokes, on the eve of the first One-Dayer against New Zealand, said he understands why players would choose a different path than committing to play for England. The legendary cricketer said with the changing dynamics, players are getting more chances to make a fortune out of, adding he cannot start to question that.

"We know now that the whole landscape of cricket is changing. That is great for the individuals who are still within the game but also the guys who are coming through. The opportunities that are presented now for cricketers are amazing, and it's great for the sport.

"The more opportunities that come, the more people will be attracted to the sport and try to make a career out of it. Everyone's at a different point in their life, not just in their career, where other things have to be thought about by the individual. If a person makes a decision because they think it's not only best for themselves but also the future and security of their family then it's very hard to disagree with that," Stokes said.

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England's Test captain Ben Stokes admits he is very comfortable with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contract and instead finding fortune elsewhere.

England's Test captain Ben Stokes admits he is very comfortable with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contract and instead finding fortune elsewhere. Earlier, with reports suggesting some of England's players have opted to prioritise playing franchise-based cricket rather than committing to remain available for the national team, fans and pundits were divided over the opinion. England's new central contracts are up for renewal next month, and ECB chief executive Richard Gould pledged earlier this year saying, the system, which he referred to as 'an existential issue', needs an overhauling. To ensure that England are playing top sides across formats, the ECB will offer multi-year deals to some players to tie them down for an extended period rather than just 12 months. Ben Stokes, however, accepts players' inclination to make more money playing the lesser-stressed format across different leagues. England's ace-seamer Mark Wood is the latest player to have expressed his desire to skip the upcoming five-match Test series against India in 2024 to play the ILT10 in the UAE. ALSO READ: CWC 2023 - Picking 'Gamechanger' Suryakumar ahead of Sanju was a right call: Harbhajan Singh Seasoned campaigner Wood, on Wednesday, told The Telegraph he would see what ECB has to offer to him, admitting though he wishes to continue playing for England, ECB's contract will help him decide on his future. "I want to play for England as long as I can, but it just depends on what they say, what they want me to do, and how they view the structure going forward," Wood told The Telegraph. "Playing both [the ILT20 and the India Tests] is not a viable option for England… I will wait and see what happens with the upcoming central contracts and then make a decision from there." Stokes 'understands' cricket's changing landscape Returning to playing ODI cricket in over a year, Stokes, on the eve of the first One-Dayer against New Zealand, said he understands why players would choose a different path than committing to play for England. The legendary cricketer said with the changing dynamics, players are getting more chances to make a fortune out of, adding he cannot start to question that. "We know now that the whole landscape of cricket is changing. That is great for the individuals who are still within the game but also the guys who are coming through. The opportunities that are presented now for cricketers are amazing, and it's great for the sport. "The more opportunities that come, the more people will be attracted to the sport and try to make a career out of it. Everyone's at a different point in their life, not just in their career, where other things have to be thought about by the individual. If a person makes a decision because they think it's not only best for themselves but also the future and security of their family then it's very hard to disagree with that," Stokes said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ben Stokes 'okay' with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contracts to make fortune elsewhere

England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, is one of the modern-day’s most destructive batters. Having won two World Cups (one ODI, one T20) in three years, Buttler is referred to as a top player in world cricket. The right-hander, who has scored three ODI hundreds in less than 50 balls in each innings,&nbsp;is touted to be among the players to hit the most runs in the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2023.

Currently playing his trade in England’s newest competition – The Hundred, Buttler is gearing up for a packed-away winter. England will face New Zealand in a home series before taking on Ireland and then flying to India for the ten-team marquee event starting October 5.

Speaking with ESPNcricinfo in an exclusive chat ahead of the New Zealand series, Buttler talked in detail about his favourite T20I and ODI knocks, and whom he looks forward to watching in white-ball cricket.&nbsp;

While for a batter who has scored ample hundreds across both formats at astonishing rates, choosing favourites could take some time, Buttler was quick to handpick his best outings.

He also revealed the names of three cricketers, including two active Indian batters, whom he loves to watch, picking their favourite shot.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ahmedabad-likely-to-host-cricket-world-cup-2023-opening-ceremony-on-october-4-629677">Ahmedabad likely to host Cricket World Cup 2023 opening ceremony on October 4</a>

Starting with his favourite T20 innings, Buttler said his hundred against Sri Lanka at Sharjah during the 2021 World Cup tops the chart. He also mentioned one IPL inning that stands out for him.

“The hundred in Sharjah [at the 2021 T20 World Cup] would definitely be one, especially in those sort of conditions. I found the first half of that inning very tough. I got 94 not out against Mumbai Indians in the 2018 IPL at the Wankhede - that's probably one of the best I have batted. I was in a nice run of form, and that was one of those days where things clicked,” Buttler told ESPNcricinfo.&nbsp;

On his best ODI knock, the England captain said,&nbsp;“The 116 in Dubai [vs. Pakistan in November 2015] is definitely one of my favourites. And then the hundred I got in Sydney [vs. Australia in January 2018]. That was one of the best I have played,” Buttler added.

<h2>Buttler loves to watch ‘these two Indian players’</h2>

Having played enough IPL cricket over the years and against India across several tours, Buttler knows more about Indian cricketers and what shots they love than most players from other countries.

When asked to handpick his favourite players and what shots from their collection&nbsp;he would like to adapt, Buttler said,

“Quinton de Kock - the way he picks it up off his legs. Rohit Sharma's pull shot. Rishabh Pant's mindset, that fearless [nature]. He's fun to watch,” he added. 
 
&nbsp;

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England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, is one of the modern-day’s most destructive batters. Having won two World Cups (one ODI, one T20) in three years, Buttler is referred to as a top player in world cricket.

England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, is one of the modern-day’s most destructive batters. Having won two World Cups (one ODI, one T20) in three years, Buttler is referred to as a top player in world cricket. The right-hander, who has scored three ODI hundreds in less than 50 balls in each innings, is touted to be among the players to hit the most runs in the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2023. Currently playing his trade in England’s newest competition – The Hundred, Buttler is gearing up for a packed-away winter. England will face New Zealand in a home series before taking on Ireland and then flying to India for the ten-team marquee event starting October 5. Speaking with ESPNcricinfo in an exclusive chat ahead of the New Zealand series, Buttler talked in detail about his favourite T20I and ODI knocks, and whom he looks forward to watching in white-ball cricket. While for a batter who has scored ample hundreds across both formats at astonishing rates, choosing favourites could take some time, Buttler was quick to handpick his best outings. He also revealed the names of three cricketers, including two active Indian batters, whom he loves to watch, picking their favourite shot. ALSO READ: Ahmedabad likely to host Cricket World Cup 2023 opening ceremony on October 4 Starting with his favourite T20 innings, Buttler said his hundred against Sri Lanka at Sharjah during the 2021 World Cup tops the chart. He also mentioned one IPL inning that stands out for him. “The hundred in Sharjah [at the 2021 T20 World Cup] would definitely be one, especially in those sort of conditions. I found the first half of that inning very tough. I got 94 not out against Mumbai Indians in the 2018 IPL at the Wankhede - that's probably one of the best I have batted. I was in a nice run of form, and that was one of those days where things clicked,” Buttler told ESPNcricinfo. On his best ODI knock, the England captain said, “The 116 in Dubai [vs. Pakistan in November 2015] is definitely one of my favourites. And then the hundred I got in Sydney [vs. Australia in January 2018]. That was one of the best I have played,” Buttler added. Buttler loves to watch ‘these two Indian players’ Having played enough IPL cricket over the years and against India across several tours, Buttler knows more about Indian cricketers and what shots they love than most players from other countries. When asked to handpick his favourite players and what shots from their collection he would like to adapt, Buttler said, “Quinton de Kock - the way he picks it up off his legs. Rohit Sharma's pull shot. Rishabh Pant's mindset, that fearless [nature]. He's fun to watch,” he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Jos Buttler reveals his best T20I and ODI knocks, picks two Indians as favourites in white-ball cricket

England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad. The promising cricketer should have been first to be on that flight to India, feels recently-retired Broad, while KP still thinks Brook will somehow gatecrash into the final 15 before the first game gets underway between England and New Zealand on October 5.

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With the return of two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes into the squad, who reversed his ODI retirement decision to remain available for selection, Brook’s place in the side got compromised.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/post-pictures-not-confidential-information-bcci-schools-players-after-kohli-reveals-yo-yo-score-on-instagram-629042">Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram</a>

Broad, who played with Brooks since his debut in Tests last year, said had he been asked a couple of months ago who would be the first to get picked across all formats as things stand, he would have said Harry Brook.

Speaking with Sky Sports recently, Broad said, "If you had asked me a couple of months ago whether I saw an England side - Test, ODI, T20 - without Brook in it, I would have said no. He is such a brilliant player and will be fantastic in the future, but ultimately Stokes is a born match-winner and must come back in."

Ben Stokes’ inclusion brings a sense of jubilation among fans, given what he brings to the table and even Brook while addressing the elephant in the room said, "[He] is one of the best players to ever play cricket, so I can't really complain, can I? Obviously, it's disappointing but I can't do anything about it now. You've just got to move on. I'm trying not to think about it anymore."

<h2>Hard to slot Brook in a star-studded England squad</h2>

England’s provisional World Cup squad is a star-studded one, and even if one tries to pick the odd one out to bring Brook into the side, it’s hard to pinpoint any.&nbsp;

Looking into trimming the bowling department for the same, chief selector Luke Wright feels that cannot be done, considering the Cricket World Cup is a long tournament, and injuries to bowlers are bound to happen.

"We feel we need a couple of extra seamers, with the natural way of seamers getting injured, and the guys in the squad do have an injury record. It's more likely a few bowlers go down, so we're having to cover ourselves seam-wise."

Out of internationals at least until the World Cup ends, Brook is said to be among the travel reserves for the mega event.&nbsp;

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England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad.

England legends, including Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad, were left flabbergasted after selectors overlooked Harry Brook from the provisional Cricket World Cup 2023 squad. The promising cricketer should have been first to be on that flight to India, feels recently-retired Broad, while KP still thinks Brook will somehow gatecrash into the final 15 before the first game gets underway between England and New Zealand on October 5. My view - Harry Brook will play in England’s first game at the CWC! — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) August 23, 2023 × With the return of two-time World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes into the squad, who reversed his ODI retirement decision to remain available for selection, Brook’s place in the side got compromised. ALSO READ: Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram Broad, who played with Brooks since his debut in Tests last year, said had he been asked a couple of months ago who would be the first to get picked across all formats as things stand, he would have said Harry Brook. Speaking with Sky Sports recently, Broad said, "If you had asked me a couple of months ago whether I saw an England side - Test, ODI, T20 - without Brook in it, I would have said no. He is such a brilliant player and will be fantastic in the future, but ultimately Stokes is a born match-winner and must come back in." Ben Stokes’ inclusion brings a sense of jubilation among fans, given what he brings to the table and even Brook while addressing the elephant in the room said, "[He] is one of the best players to ever play cricket, so I can't really complain, can I? Obviously, it's disappointing but I can't do anything about it now. You've just got to move on. I'm trying not to think about it anymore." Hard to slot Brook in a star-studded England squad England’s provisional World Cup squad is a star-studded one, and even if one tries to pick the odd one out to bring Brook into the side, it’s hard to pinpoint any. Looking into trimming the bowling department for the same, chief selector Luke Wright feels that cannot be done, considering the Cricket World Cup is a long tournament, and injuries to bowlers are bound to happen. "We feel we need a couple of extra seamers, with the natural way of seamers getting injured, and the guys in the squad do have an injury record. It's more likely a few bowlers go down, so we're having to cover ourselves seam-wise." Out of internationals at least until the World Cup ends, Brook is said to be among the travel reserves for the mega event. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

KP, Broad upset with Brook's exclusion from ENG CWC squad, batter backs 'future star' to gatecrash in final 15

Left-arm seamer Reece Topley is eyeing his return to England team during the cricket World Cup later this year. Getting treated for the dislocated shoulder he suffered while fielding in an IPL game for RCB this season, Topley had previously missed two World Cups for England owing to injuries.

Speaking with Sky Sports, the lanky seamer said he would have been part of the two World Cup-winning campaigns had it not been about getting ruled out due to different injuries. Just ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Australia, Topley picked up a ligament injury while fielding on the boundary and got ruled out.

“I missed the 2019 [World Cup] - that was purely when I was injured. If I wasn't injured, I think I would have been involved with that, similarly with this World Cup just gone, if I wasn't injured I think I would have been - not just a part of it - I think I would have played a lot,” Topley told Sky Sports.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-to-deploy-smaller-boundaries-tactics-to-hunt-australia-down-in-home-ashes-reports-587865">England to deploy 'smaller boundaries' tactics to hunt Australia down in home Ashes - Reports</a>

Topley added he felt alienated for not being around the World Cup gone by as he was used to being part of the dressing room and that he had to watch his teammates lift the trophy as a fan.

However, he now eyes a comeback to the side ahead of this year's showdown and is determined to contribute towards the success in the tournament and going ahead.&nbsp;

"I feel almost alienated from it just because you're used to being in the changing room, and then you're suddenly watching it as a fan. It's not your win. So, I'm desperate to contribute for England in a World Cup when the opportunity comes," Topley added.

Elaborating on what happened during the IPL game where he dislocated his shoulder, Topley said, “My knee got stuck in the turf, and I kind of put all my pressure onto my shoulder."

"It was similar to the injury in the World Cup. It's not anything to do with my body. It's not something I can improve on, it's just incidents,” the left-arm seamer said.

The Bangalore-based franchise replaced him with South Africa's pacer Wayne Parnell.

Left-arm seamer Reece Topley is eyeing his return to England team during the cricket World Cup later this year. Getting treated for the dislocated shoulder he suffered while fielding in an IPL game for RCB this season, Topley had previously missed two World Cups for England owing to injuries.

Left-arm seamer Reece Topley is eyeing his return to England team during the cricket World Cup later this year. Getting treated for the dislocated shoulder he suffered while fielding in an IPL game for RCB this season, Topley had previously missed two World Cups for England owing to injuries. Speaking with Sky Sports, the lanky seamer said he would have been part of the two World Cup-winning campaigns had it not been about getting ruled out due to different injuries. Just ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Australia, Topley picked up a ligament injury while fielding on the boundary and got ruled out. “I missed the 2019 [World Cup] - that was purely when I was injured. If I wasn't injured, I think I would have been involved with that, similarly with this World Cup just gone, if I wasn't injured I think I would have been - not just a part of it - I think I would have played a lot,” Topley told Sky Sports. ALSO READ: England to deploy 'smaller boundaries' tactics to hunt Australia down in home Ashes - Reports Topley added he felt alienated for not being around the World Cup gone by as he was used to being part of the dressing room and that he had to watch his teammates lift the trophy as a fan. However, he now eyes a comeback to the side ahead of this year's showdown and is determined to contribute towards the success in the tournament and going ahead. "I feel almost alienated from it just because you're used to being in the changing room, and then you're suddenly watching it as a fan. It's not your win. So, I'm desperate to contribute for England in a World Cup when the opportunity comes," Topley added. Elaborating on what happened during the IPL game where he dislocated his shoulder, Topley said, “My knee got stuck in the turf, and I kind of put all my pressure onto my shoulder." "It was similar to the injury in the World Cup. It's not anything to do with my body. It's not something I can improve on, it's just incidents,” the left-arm seamer said. The Bangalore-based franchise replaced him with South Africa's pacer Wayne Parnell.

Injury-prone Reece Topley eyes England return during Winter World Cup, says he's desperate to contribute

Following the 2015 World Cup debacle, former England captain Eoin Morgan reinstated the trust and the belief of winning in his teammates and fans by resetting their way of playing cricket. That paid dividends as England emerged as the most feared white-ball side and even won the home World Cup in 2019. Speaking with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, in an exclusive chat Eoin Morgan opened up on England’s chances of retaining the World Cup in India and which four teams, according to him, have it in them to lift the trophy.

Currently plying his trade in Zimbabwe’s inaugural T10 League, where he is leading the Harare Hurricanes, Morgan expressed his thoughts on how tough competition the 2023 World Cup will be and what it means for the defending champions to come there and deliver. The left-handed batter, who switched countries in his career, having started for Ireland earlier, also termed India one of the favourites to win the World Cup and end their dry run of winning ICC trophies with that.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pat-cummins-to-not-captain-australia-in-each-game-ahead-of-2023-world-cup-to-manage-workload-619935">Pat Cummins to not captain Australia in each game ahead of 2023 World Cup to manage workload</a>

Meanwhile, backing England’s top brass for taking the right decisions at the start of the year – citing the example of resting Joe Root for the South Africa ODIs and sending him to play the International League T20 in the Gulf, and instead bringing in more young players for them to get the exposure. Although England is not slated to play many ODIs in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup, Morgan feels ECB’s policy of giving players more international exposure by allowing them to play in several leagues will benefit them eventually.

When asked which four teams can make the semis, Morgan said, "England, India, Australia and Pakistan are four favourites. Playing 50-over cricket in India you need to have your basis covered, and I think these four teams do."

<h2>‘Excellent India Team can lift 2023 World Cup’</h2>

The hosts of the World Cup, India, haven’t lifted an ICC trophy since last winning in 2013 (Champions Trophy), and Morgan feels if the current team management can urge the players to engage with the ones who did it in the past, it can benefit the Men in Blue – who according to him are already hot favourites to stand tall in the end.

"India is an excellent cricket team and will be favourites going into the 2023 World Cup. Home advantage is a keen thing. My advice for them would be to engage with the people that were there (in 2011) and probably pick their brains. It's going to be a hell of a tournament. I am looking forward to it, hoping don't have too much luck (laugh)," Morgan said on WION.

<h2>Morgan on cricket’s chances in Olympics&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>

Cricket getting involved in the Olympic Games has been the topic of discussion for quite some time now. With Morgan now playing in the T10 league, the ex-World Cup winning captain feels this format fits the Olympics parameter as more teams can play in a crunch window, unlike T20 Cricket – where he feels only handful of teams will be able to participate, and exposure of the same will be enough.

"If cricket was welcomed into the Olympics, it (T10 format) would have to be considered as one of the formats because if you were to use T20 cricket as an example, you would only be able to play five or six teams (given the crunch window of 10-12 days), which is not enough exposure," Morgan added.

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Following the 2015 World Cup debacle, former England captain Eoin Morgan reinstated the trust and the belief of winning in his teammates and fans by resetting their way of playing cricket.

Following the 2015 World Cup debacle, former England captain Eoin Morgan reinstated the trust and the belief of winning in his teammates and fans by resetting their way of playing cricket. That paid dividends as England emerged as the most feared white-ball side and even won the home World Cup in 2019. Speaking with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, in an exclusive chat Eoin Morgan opened up on England’s chances of retaining the World Cup in India and which four teams, according to him, have it in them to lift the trophy. Currently plying his trade in Zimbabwe’s inaugural T10 League, where he is leading the Harare Hurricanes, Morgan expressed his thoughts on how tough competition the 2023 World Cup will be and what it means for the defending champions to come there and deliver. The left-handed batter, who switched countries in his career, having started for Ireland earlier, also termed India one of the favourites to win the World Cup and end their dry run of winning ICC trophies with that. ALSO READ: Pat Cummins to not captain Australia in each game ahead of 2023 World Cup to manage workload Meanwhile, backing England’s top brass for taking the right decisions at the start of the year – citing the example of resting Joe Root for the South Africa ODIs and sending him to play the International League T20 in the Gulf, and instead bringing in more young players for them to get the exposure. Although England is not slated to play many ODIs in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup, Morgan feels ECB’s policy of giving players more international exposure by allowing them to play in several leagues will benefit them eventually. When asked which four teams can make the semis, Morgan said, "England, India, Australia and Pakistan are four favourites. Playing 50-over cricket in India you need to have your basis covered, and I think these four teams do." ‘Excellent India Team can lift 2023 World Cup’ The hosts of the World Cup, India, haven’t lifted an ICC trophy since last winning in 2013 (Champions Trophy), and Morgan feels if the current team management can urge the players to engage with the ones who did it in the past, it can benefit the Men in Blue – who according to him are already hot favourites to stand tall in the end. "India is an excellent cricket team and will be favourites going into the 2023 World Cup. Home advantage is a keen thing. My advice for them would be to engage with the people that were there (in 2011) and probably pick their brains. It's going to be a hell of a tournament. I am looking forward to it, hoping don't have too much luck (laugh)," Morgan said on WION. Morgan on cricket’s chances in Olympics Cricket getting involved in the Olympic Games has been the topic of discussion for quite some time now. With Morgan now playing in the T10 league, the ex-World Cup winning captain feels this format fits the Olympics parameter as more teams can play in a crunch window, unlike T20 Cricket – where he feels only handful of teams will be able to participate, and exposure of the same will be enough. "If cricket was welcomed into the Olympics, it (T10 format) would have to be considered as one of the formats because if you were to use T20 cricket as an example, you would only be able to play five or six teams (given the crunch window of 10-12 days), which is not enough exposure," Morgan added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXCLUSIVE: Morgan names India, England as favourites for World Cup; picks T10 as cricket's ticket to Olympics

Two former captains share different views on Ben Stokes' decision to unretire from ODIs and make himself available for the World Cup later this year. While former Ashes-winning Aussie captain Tim Paine calls this a ‘selfish’ decision, Vaughan, another Ashes winner, slammed Paine for the same, calling Stokes a complete team player.

Following the Ashes 2023, reports in the British media suggested that England selectors are contemplating requesting Stokes to come out of ODI retirement and play this year’s 50-over spectacle. For that, even ODI captain Jos Buttler has had conversations with Stokes around this.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ire-v-ind-2023-i-am-living-my-mothers-dream-said-rinku-singh-before-india-debut-626990">IRE v IND 2023: ‘I am living my mother’s dream,' said Rinku Singh before India debut</a>

All the rumours came true when Luke Wright - the England selector, earlier this week, announced Stokes has decided to unretire from ODIs and will play the World Cup. However, it led to Harry Brook’s exclusion from the provisional squad for the New Zealand ODIs and WC, which irked some experts, with Paine being one.

Speaking on SEN Tasmania, Paine labelled this call selfish, saying, ‘me (for Stokes) is written all over it. He slammed the English Test captain for deciding to retire and unretire per his convenience, even if it means dropping off a regular player from the side – Brooks in this context.

“Ben Stokes coming out of one-day retirement, I found that interesting. It was a bit of, ‘Me, me, me’, there isn’t it? It was, ‘I’ll pick and I’ll choose where I want to play and when I want to play’, and, ‘I’ll play in the big tournaments’," said Paine speaking to SEN Tasmania.

“The guys who played for 12 months, ‘Sorry, thanks. But can you go and sit on the bench because I want to play now?’" he added.

<h2>Vaughan slams Paine for ‘poor’ take</h2>

Michael Vaughan, known for being vocal about his thoughts, slammed Paine, saying knowing Ben Stokes, he is the most selfless cricketer in the English dressing room and someone who always thinks about the team first.&nbsp;

“Ben Stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim ..,” Vaughan replied to a tweet mentioning Paine’s statement.

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Ben stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim .. <a href="https://t.co/jUXwzl1z2e">https://t.co/jUXwzl1z2e</a>
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Meanwhile, England’s batting strengthened after Stokes’ inclusion, who is said to be playing as a proper batter unless cleared to bowl by team doctors and management.&nbsp;

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Two former captains share different views on Ben Stokes' decision to unretire from ODIs and make himself available for the World Cup later this year. While former Ashes-winning Aussie captain Tim Paine calls this a ‘selfish’ decision, Vaughan, another Ashes winner, slammed Paine for the same, calling Stokes a complete team player.

Two former captains share different views on Ben Stokes' decision to unretire from ODIs and make himself available for the World Cup later this year. While former Ashes-winning Aussie captain Tim Paine calls this a ‘selfish’ decision, Vaughan, another Ashes winner, slammed Paine for the same, calling Stokes a complete team player. Following the Ashes 2023, reports in the British media suggested that England selectors are contemplating requesting Stokes to come out of ODI retirement and play this year’s 50-over spectacle. For that, even ODI captain Jos Buttler has had conversations with Stokes around this. ALSO READ: IRE v IND 2023: ‘I am living my mother’s dream,' said Rinku Singh before India debut All the rumours came true when Luke Wright - the England selector, earlier this week, announced Stokes has decided to unretire from ODIs and will play the World Cup. However, it led to Harry Brook’s exclusion from the provisional squad for the New Zealand ODIs and WC, which irked some experts, with Paine being one. Speaking on SEN Tasmania, Paine labelled this call selfish, saying, ‘me (for Stokes) is written all over it. He slammed the English Test captain for deciding to retire and unretire per his convenience, even if it means dropping off a regular player from the side – Brooks in this context. “Ben Stokes coming out of one-day retirement, I found that interesting. It was a bit of, ‘Me, me, me’, there isn’t it? It was, ‘I’ll pick and I’ll choose where I want to play and when I want to play’, and, ‘I’ll play in the big tournaments’," said Paine speaking to SEN Tasmania. “The guys who played for 12 months, ‘Sorry, thanks. But can you go and sit on the bench because I want to play now?’" he added. Vaughan slams Paine for ‘poor’ take Michael Vaughan, known for being vocal about his thoughts, slammed Paine, saying knowing Ben Stokes, he is the most selfless cricketer in the English dressing room and someone who always thinks about the team first. “Ben Stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim ..,” Vaughan replied to a tweet mentioning Paine’s statement. Ben stokes is the most selfless cricketer I have ever known .. He puts Team before himself more than any other player .. Ridiculous suggestion from Tim .. https://t.co/jUXwzl1z2e — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 19, 2023 × Meanwhile, England’s batting strengthened after Stokes’ inclusion, who is said to be playing as a proper batter unless cleared to bowl by team doctors and management. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Michael Vaughan slams Tim Paine for his ‘ridiculous remarks’ on Ben Stokes’ U-turn on ODI retirement

England’s greatest modern-day match-winner Ben Stokes is back in the reckoning for the World Cup 2023, but a section of fans is still upset. They are upset with ECB’s decision to drop T20 World Cup winner and future star Harry Brook from the provisional squad for Stokes to fit in. Michael Atherton, a former captain and opener, shared the exact views but further questioned if not Brook, then who else?

Luke Wright-led selection committee named a provisional squad for the upcoming New Zealand ODIs and the World Cup 2023, with some new faces in the bowling department. Though they have kept their base from the previous edition with a star-heavy top-order, ECB dropped unfit Jofra Archer – who is said to travel to India only as a travelling reserve.

Meanwhile, following his Test debut against South Africa last year, Harry Brook emerged as the best batter in this format for England – scoring 1181 runs in 12 matches, with seven fifties and four hundreds already. After helping England win the T20 World Cup in Australia the past year, Brook was looked up to as a sure starter for England across formats.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sanju-samsons-future-remains-in-limbo-as-bcci-set-to-announce-asia-cup-squad-on-august-20-reports-626429">Sanju Samson’s future remains in limbo as BCCI set to announce Asia Cup squad on August 20 – Reports</a>

However, with Jos Buttler urging Stokes to come out of ODI retirement and play the upcoming World Cup and Stokes agreeing to it, someone had to be overlooked, and unfortunately, it was the young gun, Brook.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton said his heart goes out for Brook, but then who else would have been dropped to put Stokes back into the side? Citing examples of all other players in the line-up, Atherton said,

"Harry Brook is the unlucky one," Atherton told Sky Sports News.

"It really is a consequence of the Stokes selection and the fact he has come out of retirement. Then, how do you get him in? They want Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.

"They have retained faith with Roy and Bairstow at the top of the order, Dawid Malan is cover for the top order there, Liam Livingstone provides cover for Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in the spin department, so in the end, it is Brook who has given way.

"If you said to the selectors 'Do you want Brook in your team?' they would say yes, but they just don't feel as though they can fit him in," he added.

<h2>‘Great news for England fans’</h2>

With Stokes announcing his decision to unretire from the ODIs, there was a sense of jubilation among the English cricket fans, who were waiting for their greatest match-winner to return and hog&nbsp;limelight like he did in the previous edition.

"I think it is great news for England and for England fans who will be delighted to see such a great cricketer come back," Atherton said.

"The lure of the World Cup was just too strong. He played such a central role in England winning that World Cup four years ago, and this is his chance to defend it, probably his last chance in a 50-over World Cup. Once he made himself available, the selectors had to pick him. You have to pick a cricketer like Ben Stokes if they are available - he makes any team better,” he added.&nbsp;

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England’s greatest modern-day match-winner Ben Stokes is back in the reckoning for the World Cup 2023, but a section of fans is still upset. They are upset with ECB’s decision to drop T20 World Cup winner and future star Harry Brook from the provisional squad for Stokes to fit in.

England’s greatest modern-day match-winner Ben Stokes is back in the reckoning for the World Cup 2023, but a section of fans is still upset. They are upset with ECB’s decision to drop T20 World Cup winner and future star Harry Brook from the provisional squad for Stokes to fit in. Michael Atherton, a former captain and opener, shared the exact views but further questioned if not Brook, then who else? Luke Wright-led selection committee named a provisional squad for the upcoming New Zealand ODIs and the World Cup 2023, with some new faces in the bowling department. Though they have kept their base from the previous edition with a star-heavy top-order, ECB dropped unfit Jofra Archer – who is said to travel to India only as a travelling reserve. Meanwhile, following his Test debut against South Africa last year, Harry Brook emerged as the best batter in this format for England – scoring 1181 runs in 12 matches, with seven fifties and four hundreds already. After helping England win the T20 World Cup in Australia the past year, Brook was looked up to as a sure starter for England across formats. ALSO READ: Sanju Samson’s future remains in limbo as BCCI set to announce Asia Cup squad on August 20 – Reports However, with Jos Buttler urging Stokes to come out of ODI retirement and play the upcoming World Cup and Stokes agreeing to it, someone had to be overlooked, and unfortunately, it was the young gun, Brook. Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton said his heart goes out for Brook, but then who else would have been dropped to put Stokes back into the side? Citing examples of all other players in the line-up, Atherton said, "Harry Brook is the unlucky one," Atherton told Sky Sports News. "It really is a consequence of the Stokes selection and the fact he has come out of retirement. Then, how do you get him in? They want Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow. "They have retained faith with Roy and Bairstow at the top of the order, Dawid Malan is cover for the top order there, Liam Livingstone provides cover for Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in the spin department, so in the end, it is Brook who has given way. "If you said to the selectors 'Do you want Brook in your team?' they would say yes, but they just don't feel as though they can fit him in," he added. ‘Great news for England fans’ With Stokes announcing his decision to unretire from the ODIs, there was a sense of jubilation among the English cricket fans, who were waiting for their greatest match-winner to return and hog limelight like he did in the previous edition. "I think it is great news for England and for England fans who will be delighted to see such a great cricketer come back," Atherton said. "The lure of the World Cup was just too strong. He played such a central role in England winning that World Cup four years ago, and this is his chance to defend it, probably his last chance in a 50-over World Cup. Once he made himself available, the selectors had to pick him. You have to pick a cricketer like Ben Stokes if they are available - he makes any team better,” he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

CWC'23: Dropping Brook is unfortunate but who else would’ve made way for talismanic Stokes, asks Atherton

In a historic move, the bilateral cricketing ties between England and Zimbabwe are set to resume after a gap of nearly two decades, as the ECB announced hosting Zimbabwe for a one-off four-day Test in May 2025 (28-31), the venue for which remains unknown for now.

Both England and Zimbabwe haven’t faced off in any bilateral affair since 2004, with relations between two boards getting stranded due to political tensions stemming from the country under the then Zimbabwean government.

Even during the 2003 World Cup in Africa, England refused to travel to Harare for their scheduled game against Zimbabwe (for which the points were deducted), as ECB suspended ties with their counterpart on the government’s advice a couple of years later.

England, who had earlier played two four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023, will host Zimbabwe on their home soil, who played the inaugural four-day Test against South Africa in December 2017. Both teams have played six Tests, with the first coming in 1996 while remaining during Zimbabwe’s tour of the UK in 2000 and 2003.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/blow-to-india-vinesh-phogat-ruled-out-of-asian-games-2023-due-to-knee-injury-set-to-undergo-surgery-625702">Blow to India! Vinesh Phogat ruled out of Asian Games 2023 due to knee injury, set to undergo surgery</a>

ECB Chief Richard Gould welcomed the decision, saying,&nbsp;"We are delighted to be able to host Zimbabwe for a Men's Test match for the first time in two decades. Zimbabwe has a proud cricket history and have produced world-class players and coaches who have enriched the game across the world.

"We are committed to developing a closer relationship with Zimbabwe Cricket, and the announcement of this Test against our England Men's team is a step in that ambition,” he said, as quoted in ESPNcricinfo.&nbsp;

<h2>‘We are delighted'</h2>

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) managing director Givemore Makoni also sounded elated to join hands with ECB and pen the first game between both countries in over two decades.

“We are absolutely delighted to be playing bilateral cricket in England for the first time in over two decades after we agreed to play a Test match in May 2025.

"The significance and magnitude of this tour cannot be over-emphasised, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the ECB for committing to the resumption of cricketing relations between our countries that date back to the introduction of the game in Zimbabwe in the 1890s.

"The experience of playing a Test match against a top team like England is massive for the current generation of our players, coming at a time when our game as a whole is on an upward trajectory,” he added.

Meanwhile, in 2003, it was a certain James Anderson, who made his debut against Zimbabwe at the Lord’s and returned with a maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.&nbsp;

Twenty years later, James is the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 690 wickets to his name. It remains to be seen if he will be around till 2025 to play Zimbabwe after 22 years.

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In a historic move, the bilateral cricketing ties between England and Zimbabwe are set to resume after a gap of nearly two decades, as the ECB announced hosting Zimbabwe for a one-off four-day Test in May 2025 (28-31), the venue for which remains unknown for now.

In a historic move, the bilateral cricketing ties between England and Zimbabwe are set to resume after a gap of nearly two decades, as the ECB announced hosting Zimbabwe for a one-off four-day Test in May 2025 (28-31), the venue for which remains unknown for now. Both England and Zimbabwe haven’t faced off in any bilateral affair since 2004, with relations between two boards getting stranded due to political tensions stemming from the country under the then Zimbabwean government. Even during the 2003 World Cup in Africa, England refused to travel to Harare for their scheduled game against Zimbabwe (for which the points were deducted), as ECB suspended ties with their counterpart on the government’s advice a couple of years later. England, who had earlier played two four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023, will host Zimbabwe on their home soil, who played the inaugural four-day Test against South Africa in December 2017. Both teams have played six Tests, with the first coming in 1996 while remaining during Zimbabwe’s tour of the UK in 2000 and 2003. ALSO READ: Blow to India! Vinesh Phogat ruled out of Asian Games 2023 due to knee injury, set to undergo surgery ECB Chief Richard Gould welcomed the decision, saying, "We are delighted to be able to host Zimbabwe for a Men's Test match for the first time in two decades. Zimbabwe has a proud cricket history and have produced world-class players and coaches who have enriched the game across the world. "We are committed to developing a closer relationship with Zimbabwe Cricket, and the announcement of this Test against our England Men's team is a step in that ambition,” he said, as quoted in ESPNcricinfo. ‘We are delighted' Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) managing director Givemore Makoni also sounded elated to join hands with ECB and pen the first game between both countries in over two decades. “We are absolutely delighted to be playing bilateral cricket in England for the first time in over two decades after we agreed to play a Test match in May 2025. "The significance and magnitude of this tour cannot be over-emphasised, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the ECB for committing to the resumption of cricketing relations between our countries that date back to the introduction of the game in Zimbabwe in the 1890s. "The experience of playing a Test match against a top team like England is massive for the current generation of our players, coming at a time when our game as a whole is on an upward trajectory,” he added. Meanwhile, in 2003, it was a certain James Anderson, who made his debut against Zimbabwe at the Lord’s and returned with a maiden five-wicket haul in Tests. Twenty years later, James is the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 690 wickets to his name. It remains to be seen if he will be around till 2025 to play Zimbabwe after 22 years. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

England to host Zimbabwe for one four-day Test in May 2025 as bilateral ties resume for first time in 20 years

There were strong rumours&nbsp;this weekend that England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler is set to talk to his Test counterpart Ben Stokes to convince him to reverse his ODI retirement call for the forthcoming World Cup, in India. Well, it looks like the English Test skipper is ready to make a U-turn and come out of 50-over retirement for the ICC event.&nbsp;As per fresh reports, Stokes is now considering to come out of ODI retirement&nbsp;if asked by white-ball skipper Buttler.

According to a report in Telegraph Sport, Stokes if willing to risk missing IPL 2024 if he needs ample recovery time in his schedule. He represents the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the premier tournament in India.

It is to be noted that the all-rounder called it quits from the shorter format in July 2022, citing&nbsp;‘exhaustion due to too much cricket’. While he was asked about a return in ODIs during the recently-held Ashes 2023, in the United Kingdom, the 32-year-old gave a fitting response.

"I'm retired," Stokes reiterated, as quoted by the ICC. "I'm going on holiday after this game and that's as far as I'm thinking."

However, he had a different view after starring in England's T20 World Cup 2022 final win, over Pakistan, with a gritty 52* at the MCG, Melbourne last November. Back then,&nbsp;he was asked if he is inclined to return to the ODI format.

To this, Stokes&nbsp;stated, "… who knows how I might feel towards a World Cup at the time. Going to a World Cup is an amazing thing to do, to represent your country. But at the moment I'm not even thinking about that."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc23-jos-buttler-to-request-ben-stokes-to-reverse-retirement-call-as-england-set-to-announce-squad-soon-625070">CWC'23: Jos Buttler to request Ben Stokes to reverse retirement call as England set to announce squad soon</a>

England's white-ball coach Matthew Mott recently opened up on Stokes' ODI future&nbsp;and told Mail Sport, "Jos (Buttler) will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben's pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he's keen. There has not been a clear direction on what he's going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I've always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field."

It will be interesting to see if Stokes features&nbsp;in&nbsp;the 50-over mega event in India, which kicks off on October 05 with England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Recently, England's spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement for Ashes 2023 and played a pivotal role for Stokes &amp; Co. in the five games which ended in a&nbsp;2-2 stalemate versus Australia.

There were strong rumours this weekend that England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler is set to talk to his Test counterpart Ben Stokes to convince him to reverse his ODI retirement call for the forthcoming World Cup, in India.

There were strong rumours this weekend that England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler is set to talk to his Test counterpart Ben Stokes to convince him to reverse his ODI retirement call for the forthcoming World Cup, in India. Well, it looks like the English Test skipper is ready to make a U-turn and come out of 50-over retirement for the ICC event. As per fresh reports, Stokes is now considering to come out of ODI retirement if asked by white-ball skipper Buttler. According to a report in Telegraph Sport, Stokes if willing to risk missing IPL 2024 if he needs ample recovery time in his schedule. He represents the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the premier tournament in India. It is to be noted that the all-rounder called it quits from the shorter format in July 2022, citing ‘exhaustion due to too much cricket’. While he was asked about a return in ODIs during the recently-held Ashes 2023, in the United Kingdom, the 32-year-old gave a fitting response. "I'm retired," Stokes reiterated, as quoted by the ICC. "I'm going on holiday after this game and that's as far as I'm thinking." However, he had a different view after starring in England's T20 World Cup 2022 final win, over Pakistan, with a gritty 52* at the MCG, Melbourne last November. Back then, he was asked if he is inclined to return to the ODI format. To this, Stokes stated, "… who knows how I might feel towards a World Cup at the time. Going to a World Cup is an amazing thing to do, to represent your country. But at the moment I'm not even thinking about that." Also read: CWC'23: Jos Buttler to request Ben Stokes to reverse retirement call as England set to announce squad soon England's white-ball coach Matthew Mott recently opened up on Stokes' ODI future and told Mail Sport, "Jos (Buttler) will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben's pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he's keen. There has not been a clear direction on what he's going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I've always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field." It will be interesting to see if Stokes features in the 50-over mega event in India, which kicks off on October 05 with England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Recently, England's spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement for Ashes 2023 and played a pivotal role for Stokes & Co. in the five games which ended in a 2-2 stalemate versus Australia.

England's Ben Stokes set to come out of retirement for World Cup 2023 - Reports

Former England fast bowler Steven&nbsp;Finn&nbsp;retired on Monday after the three-time Ashes winner accepted "defeat" in his battle against a host of injury problems. Finn&nbsp;took 125 wickets in 36 Test appearances for England at an average of 30.4 between 2010 and 2016. The 34-year-old also played in 69 one-day internationals and 21 Twenty20 internationals for England.

Hampered by various injuries,&nbsp;Finn&nbsp;slipped out of the England squad and has not played red-ball cricket since July 2022. "I have been fighting a battle with my body for the last 12 months and have admitted defeat to it,"&nbsp;Finn&nbsp;said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-captain-hardik-pandya-takes-blame-for-series-defeat-says-i-not-able-to-finish-625220">IND vs WI: Captain Hardik Pandya takes blame for series defeat, says 'I not able to finish'</a>

Finn&nbsp;made his county debut with Middlesex aged 16, emerging as a rising star for England following his maiden Test appearance against Bangladesh in 2010.&nbsp;But after helping England to three Ashes triumphs,&nbsp;Finn's injury problems took their toll.

He signed for Sussex last year, but a setback in his attempt to recover from a long-running knee problem forced him to bring the curtain down on his 18-year career. "I retire with some amazing memories with England, Middlesex and Sussex, shared with fantastic people. Those will live with me forever," he said. "Cricket has given me a lot and I hope to give back to the game in some capacity in the future. "But, for now, I'll enjoy watching on without wondering whether my body will be able to make it through another day's cricket."

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Former England fast bowler Steven Finn retired on Monday after the three-time Ashes winner accepted "defeat" in his battle against a host of injury problems. Finn took 125 wickets in 36 Test appearances for England at an average of 30.

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn retired on Monday after the three-time Ashes winner accepted "defeat" in his battle against a host of injury problems. Finn took 125 wickets in 36 Test appearances for England at an average of 30.4 between 2010 and 2016. The 34-year-old also played in 69 one-day internationals and 21 Twenty20 internationals for England. Hampered by various injuries, Finn slipped out of the England squad and has not played red-ball cricket since July 2022. "I have been fighting a battle with my body for the last 12 months and have admitted defeat to it," Finn said. Also read: IND vs WI: Captain Hardik Pandya takes blame for series defeat, says 'I not able to finish' Finn made his county debut with Middlesex aged 16, emerging as a rising star for England following his maiden Test appearance against Bangladesh in 2010. But after helping England to three Ashes triumphs, Finn's injury problems took their toll. He signed for Sussex last year, but a setback in his attempt to recover from a long-running knee problem forced him to bring the curtain down on his 18-year career. "I retire with some amazing memories with England, Middlesex and Sussex, shared with fantastic people. Those will live with me forever," he said. "Cricket has given me a lot and I hope to give back to the game in some capacity in the future. "But, for now, I'll enjoy watching on without wondering whether my body will be able to make it through another day's cricket." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former England pacer Steven Finn announces retirement after injury battle

England white-ball captain Jos Buttler is said to be speaking with Ben Stokes and requesting him to reverse his retirement call for the upcoming World Cup 2023, as England will announce the 15-man squad for the mega event soon. As per a report in the British media, England camp is keen on bringing Stokes on board for the 10-team tournament despite the Test skipper stating he will not return to playing ODIs again.

Stokes, who led England’s charge in the 2019 WC Final against New Zealand, playing an unbelievable knock, retired from the 50-over format the last year, citing ‘exhaustion due to too much cricket’ as the major reason. Though he continues to play in the shortest format, Stokes is now a full-time Test captain.

Matthew Mott, England’s white-ball coach, feels though Ben had cleared his intentions earlier, the camp is hopeful of a reversal on his ODI retirement.

"Jos (Buttler) will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben's pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he's keen. There has not been a clear direction on what he's going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I've always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field," Mott told Mail Sport.

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Mott said that given how Stokes performed in the recently-concluded Ashes, which ended in the Oz retaining the urn, his presence made all the difference on the field for the hosts. For what he brings to the table as a batter, a bowler, an exciting fielder, and, more importantly, as a leader with experience on his back, Stokes is an asset for any team in any format.

"Watching him throughout the whole Ashes series, he had such a great presence. He's done it for years when it comes to performing in one-day cricket, and so he's an invaluable commodity," Mott added.

<h2>Stokes-less England ready for title defence</h2>

The defending world champions are upbeat about their chances of retaining the World Cup in India. Possessing one of the most lethal white-ball sides in the world, England has a real chance of doing a West Indies (of 1975, 1979) and Australia (1999-2007) this time.

England will open their World Cup 2023 campaign against the last edition’s finalists, New Zealand, on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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England white-ball captain Jos Buttler is said to be speaking with Ben Stokes and requesting him to reverse his retirement call for the upcoming World Cup 2023, as England will announce the 15-man squad for the mega event soon.

England white-ball captain Jos Buttler is said to be speaking with Ben Stokes and requesting him to reverse his retirement call for the upcoming World Cup 2023, as England will announce the 15-man squad for the mega event soon. As per a report in the British media, England camp is keen on bringing Stokes on board for the 10-team tournament despite the Test skipper stating he will not return to playing ODIs again. Stokes, who led England’s charge in the 2019 WC Final against New Zealand, playing an unbelievable knock, retired from the 50-over format the last year, citing ‘exhaustion due to too much cricket’ as the major reason. Though he continues to play in the shortest format, Stokes is now a full-time Test captain. Matthew Mott, England’s white-ball coach, feels though Ben had cleared his intentions earlier, the camp is hopeful of a reversal on his ODI retirement. "Jos (Buttler) will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben's pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he's keen. There has not been a clear direction on what he's going to do yet, but we are still hopeful. I've always said his bowling would be a bonus, but just look at what he brings with the bat, even in the field," Mott told Mail Sport. ALSO READ: Red card for slow over-rates? CPL set to introduce new rule to combat duration of T20 games Mott said that given how Stokes performed in the recently-concluded Ashes, which ended in the Oz retaining the urn, his presence made all the difference on the field for the hosts. For what he brings to the table as a batter, a bowler, an exciting fielder, and, more importantly, as a leader with experience on his back, Stokes is an asset for any team in any format. "Watching him throughout the whole Ashes series, he had such a great presence. He's done it for years when it comes to performing in one-day cricket, and so he's an invaluable commodity," Mott added. Stokes-less England ready for title defence The defending world champions are upbeat about their chances of retaining the World Cup in India. Possessing one of the most lethal white-ball sides in the world, England has a real chance of doing a West Indies (of 1975, 1979) and Australia (1999-2007) this time. England will open their World Cup 2023 campaign against the last edition’s finalists, New Zealand, on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

CWC'23: Jos Buttler to request Ben Stokes to reverse retirement call as England set to announce squad soon

T20 World Cup-winning opener with England Alex Hales is proud of his career that got marred by some controversies throughout the latter half. The right-handed batter announced his retirement from all formats lately and admitted to bearing the brunt for his mistakes. As he reflects on his international career, Hales said he is delighted to have returned for the last hurray in 2022.

Following getting involved in the brawl outside of a Bristol nightclub in 2017, Hales lost his sure-shot place in the English white-ball side and even got axed ahead of the 2019 home World Cup for failing a recreational drug test – something the then captain Eoin Morgan labelled ‘complete breakdown in trust’.

Though Hales didn’t play for England under Morgan, he got roped into the side for the 2022 T20 World Cup after Jonny Bairstow got ruled out due to a leg injury. His inclusion in the XI did wonders for England, as they dominated top sides, including beating tournament favourites India by 10 wickets in the semis in Adelaide.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/57-swimmers-suffer-diarrhoea-at-world-triathlon-championship-in-sunderland-probe-initiated-622851">57 swimmers suffer diarrhoea at World Triathlon Championship in Sunderland, probe initiated</a>

Hales scored 212 runs in the tournament as England won their second T20 World Cup title - the first since 2010.

With more than 5000 international runs across all formats in 156 matches (75 T20Is, 70 ODIs and 11 Tests), Hales departs as one of England’s most feared batters in the limited overs.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Hales said he has left with his head high, and though he admits to making mistakes when he was young (in his twenties), Hales doesn't want to dwell on them much now.

"I can look back with a lot of proudness, and I am delighted I got another crack at a World Cup.

"There were some disappointing moments along the way… there were things I got wrong in my twenties playing for England. If I could go back in time, I would change a few things… but I don't want to dwell on them too much,” Hales told Sky Sports.&nbsp;

<h2>‘I could have handled a few things differently’</h2>

Now that Hales has departed from the international scene, in hindsight, he admits there were a few things he could have done differently that may have led to a different outcome.&nbsp;

"There are things I would handle differently, conversations I would have and ways I would do things slightly differently that may have led to a different outcome."

“But I can't change that now and all that happening then has got me to where I am now. I am very proud of everything I have achieved and where I am with my cricket on and off the field,” he added.

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T20 World Cup-winning opener with England Alex Hales is proud of his career that got marred by some controversies throughout the latter half. The right-handed batter announced his retirement from all formats lately and admitted to bearing the brunt for his mistakes.

T20 World Cup-winning opener with England Alex Hales is proud of his career that got marred by some controversies throughout the latter half. The right-handed batter announced his retirement from all formats lately and admitted to bearing the brunt for his mistakes. As he reflects on his international career, Hales said he is delighted to have returned for the last hurray in 2022. Following getting involved in the brawl outside of a Bristol nightclub in 2017, Hales lost his sure-shot place in the English white-ball side and even got axed ahead of the 2019 home World Cup for failing a recreational drug test – something the then captain Eoin Morgan labelled ‘complete breakdown in trust’. Though Hales didn’t play for England under Morgan, he got roped into the side for the 2022 T20 World Cup after Jonny Bairstow got ruled out due to a leg injury. His inclusion in the XI did wonders for England, as they dominated top sides, including beating tournament favourites India by 10 wickets in the semis in Adelaide. ALSO READ: 57 swimmers suffer diarrhoea at World Triathlon Championship in Sunderland, probe initiated Hales scored 212 runs in the tournament as England won their second T20 World Cup title - the first since 2010. With more than 5000 international runs across all formats in 156 matches (75 T20Is, 70 ODIs and 11 Tests), Hales departs as one of England’s most feared batters in the limited overs. Speaking with Sky Sports, Hales said he has left with his head high, and though he admits to making mistakes when he was young (in his twenties), Hales doesn't want to dwell on them much now. "I can look back with a lot of proudness, and I am delighted I got another crack at a World Cup. "There were some disappointing moments along the way… there were things I got wrong in my twenties playing for England. If I could go back in time, I would change a few things… but I don't want to dwell on them too much,” Hales told Sky Sports. ‘I could have handled a few things differently’ Now that Hales has departed from the international scene, in hindsight, he admits there were a few things he could have done differently that may have led to a different outcome. "There are things I would handle differently, conversations I would have and ways I would do things slightly differently that may have led to a different outcome." “But I can't change that now and all that happening then has got me to where I am now. I am very proud of everything I have achieved and where I am with my cricket on and off the field,” he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

There were things I got wrong but I am proud of my career: Alex Hales on playing for England