The defending champions England have been going great guns in the white ball. They won the 2019 World Cup and then went on to win T20 World Cup 2022 as well. The team has been doing well under the leadership of Jos Buttler and they are one of the favourites to win the ICC World Cup 2023, which will be played in India from 5th October.
2 Opening Combinations that England will have in their mind for the ICC World Cup 2023
England will open their campaign against New Zealand at Ahmedabad on October 5th. It’ll also be a tournament opener as both teams were the finalists of the last World Cup. The opening position will be one of the most crucial aspects for any team in the tournament and with the kind of players England have, they have can more than one combination. In this piece, we take a look at 2 Opening Combinations that England will have in their mind for the ICC World Cup 2023:
Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow
Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow have been the long-time trusted opening pair for England in the ODIs. The duo were successful even in the 2019 World Cup and there’ll be no surprise if they come to open the innings in this World Cup as well. Both Roy and Bairstow have been the main reason behind England’s success in the ODI format. Going into this World Cup, both these openers will be vital for the team and it’s fair to say that if they both click, England can successfully defend the title and lift the World Cup for the second successive time.
Jason Roy and Dawid Malan
If England would be eager to have a left-right combination at the top, then it’s fair to say that Dawid Malan will be the best candidate to open the innings. Jonny Bairstow has had a fair amount of experience batting in the middle order and therefore he can make a shit. Jason Roy however is likely to stay at the top as he has been batting at the top since the start of this career. Malan on the other hand has filled in the role of backup opener perfectly for the team and we might even see him opening the batting in some games in World Cup.
