By Osaro Matthew
The ICC Men’s World Cup commenced today, October 5, 2023, and is slated to conclude on November 19, 2023. This year, the tournament is being exclusively hosted by India, marking the first time they have taken sole responsibility since their prior co-hosting experiences in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
The tournament got off to an electrifying start with a clash between the 2019 champions, England, and New Zealand. This rivalry has seen them meet ten times across twelve World Cups, with each team claiming victory on five occasions.
South Africa is the sole African representative in the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, as Zimbabwe narrowly missed qualification. South Africa has participated in the tournament eight times since 1992, with their best performance being a semi-final appearance in this prestigious international competition.
The tournament features ten participating countries: the host nation India, defending champions England, South Africa as the sole African representative, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.
ICC World Cup: Can South Africa Secure the Gold?
A general view of the trophy of the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup at a press conference in Mumbai, India, June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas