Date: Tuesday 19
Harry Brook Joins England’s World Cup Squad:
Jason Roy’s Memorable Presence in the 2019 Triumph
In a significant development for England’s cricket team, Harry Brook has been named as Jason Roy’s replacement in the final 15-man squad for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. This decision comes after Roy missed recent one-day internationals against New Zealand due to back spasms. Brook, although scoring only 37 runs across three matches against the Black Caps, has showcased his talent in international cricket over the past year and possesses the versatility to bat in both the top and middle order.
Holders of the World Cup, England, are all set to kickstart their campaign on 5th October against New Zealand in what promises to be an action-packed tournament featuring 10 teams and running until 19th November.
England’s World Cup Squad:
- 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
Jason Roy, a crucial part of the victorious 2019 World Cup squad, made an impressive comeback during the tournament after recovering from a hamstring strain. He played a pivotal role, contributing vital scores of 66, 60, and 85, which led England to the final. Roy’s memorable throw also resulted in the run-out of Martin Guptill, sealing England’s dramatic victory over New Zealand in the final at Lord’s.
However, Roy has faced challenges with form since then and was not part of the winning 2022 T20 World Cup squad. Despite hitting two ODI centuries against South Africa and Bangladesh earlier this year, Roy has struggled to find his rhythm. His last appearance was in The Hundred final on 27th August, and despite warming up before the final ODI against New Zealand, he was omitted from the playing XI.
With Roy’s exclusion, Dawid Malan will almost certainly open the batting alongside Jonny Bairstow in India. Malan, in remarkable form at 36 years old, displayed his prowess with impressive scores of 54, 96, and 127 as an opener during the 3-1 series victory over New Zealand.
England selector Luke Wright expressed confidence in the chosen squad, emphasizing their ability to win the World Cup. He noted the strength of the white-ball player group, highlighted by their recent series win against New Zealand, which made the selection process challenging.
Captain Jos Buttler had hinted at Roy’s potential return against Ireland, but it remains uncertain if he will join the separate 13-man party for that fixture. Brook, although relatively inexperienced in 50-over internationals with just six ODIs under his belt, was a surprising omission from the initial squad, given his stellar performances in Tests and T20s since his England debut last year.
The remainder of the squad remains unchanged and includes eight players from the 2019 World Cup-winning side. Notably, Test captain Ben Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement last month to participate in the tournament, is also part of the lineup. Furthermore, Surrey pace bowler Gus Atkinson, aged 25, secured his place in the squad following his ODI debut against New Zealand earlier this month. https://www.sportiwe.com/
