The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner and ICC also announced the updated full schedule of the ODI Tournament. Reports suggest that the tournament will begin on 5th October and conclude on 19th November. This time, India will host the biggest cricket tournament after the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
With this World Cup, we might get to see the last matches of some cricket legends who might retire after playing in the ODI World Cup this year. It is possible that some players may get a chance to play in the World Cup for their team and some may not. They, in particular, will find it difficult to prolong their 50-over careers since the team management has already formulated plans for them.
Considering several other factors as well, it might be appropriate for him to bid goodbye to ODI cricket. This list includes cricketers from all over the world who are over the age of 35. So, this time all of them will be eager to give their finest shot at their team to win the coveted World Cup title.
The 2023 Cricket World Cup will be an excellent opportunity for all the youngsters in the squad. However, for the senior players of the team, it could be their last chance to play in their last ICC tournament before retiring. There are some international cricket players (including Indian players) who might consider retiring from the ODI format after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
So, let’s discuss these players one by one in detail –
List of players who might retire after the 2023 World Cup
1. Shikhar Dhawan (India)
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan will eye a place in the main squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. As far as team management is concerned, it is highly unlikely that he will be part of the main Indian team for the World Cup. Due to the Delhi Opener’s recent dip in form and Shubhman Gill’s resurgence in the previous matches, India will likely stick with Shubhman Gill instead of Shikhar Dhawan.
It would be an unfortunate end to his One-Day International career considering Dhawan’s record at ICC events. The Southpaw batsman has scored 1,238 runs in 20 innings played in the ODI format. This includes 2 Cricket World Cups in 2015 and 2019 along with 2 Champions Trophy tournaments in 2013 and 2017.
Except for the 2019 Cricket World Cup where he got injured after scoring a century in India’s 2nd match, he was India’s leading run-scorer in the remaining 3 ICC events. In the 2013 and 2017 ICC Champions Trophy tournaments, he won the Golden Bat Award for the most runs in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament. He also has an excellent rapport with skipper Rohit Sharma. The two batsmen opened 115 times, scoring 5148 runs including 18 century partnerships.
2. Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
Martin Guptill is a New Zealand opener who has been one of the most destructive batsmen in ODI Cricket in recent years. The long-standing opener last appeared for the Blackcaps in 2022 against Australia. Since then, he hasn’t featured in any matches for the New Zealand team, although he has scored good runs in professional matches.
The Auckland player is very well-known for his consistent run-scoring in the ODI format where he has recorded 7,346 runs in 198 matches. In 27 World Cup matches, he scored close to 1000 runs which also included 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries.
His most notable World Cup performance was an innings scoring 237 runs in the quarter-final of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Martin Guptill masters big hits and clears the boundary easily. He has scored over 6,000 runs in ODI cricket, with 22 centuries and 36 half-centuries.
Guptill hasn’t yet announced his retirement plans. However, he has said that he is considering retiring from international cricket after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
3. David Warner (Australia)
Australia’s dashing opener David Warner has revealed his retirement plans. Next year, he will retire from all three formats (ODI, Test, and T20 Internationals) of the game. According to his statement, David Warner will play his last ODI tournament for the Kangaroos at the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
He is a true match-winner in every sense and Australia will find it hard to replace him anytime soon. In the previous World Cup, David Warner scored 647 runs in 10 innings. He finished one run behind Rohit Sharma, who was the highest run-scorer at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Although he has played only 9 ODIs here in India with an average of 52, he knows the Indian pitch very well. He can be a game-changer for Australia at the top of the order, setting the tone for batsmen to come.
Australians missed the final last time, but this year they will aim to reach the final and win the World Cup trophy. Australia won the World Cup trophy in 2015 and after 8 years, they will try to repeat the feat with David Warner.
4. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
Shakib Al Hasan, one of the finest all-rounders in modern cricket, could play his last World Cup at the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. His all-round performance in ODI cricket reflects his high potential. Shakib Al Hasan is the 9th cricketer on the list of all-time World Cup run scorers.
His tally of 1,146 runs in just 29 innings is quite impressive and in this World Cup, he will rise up in the overall rankings. Shakib’s exceptional performance at the 2019 Cricket World Cup was one of the highlights of the 2019 World Cup. This time on the Indian subcontinent, he wants to continue where he left off.
He is a brilliant batsman, bowler, and fielder. He has represented Bangladesh in all three Cricket formats and has been a prominent player in their success in recent years. He has scored over 6,000 runs and taken over 200 wickets in ODI cricket.
Shakib Al Hasan has not yet announced his retirement plans. However, he has said that he will decide to retire from the ODI format after the 2023 Cricket World Cup to focus on his Test and T20I careers.
5. Rohit Sharma (India)
One of the most surprising names on this list is India’s current captain, Rohit Sharma. This could be his last term as India’s captain, so there will be immense pressure on him to deliver. In the previous World Cup tournament, he scored 5 centuries in 9 innings but lost a heartbreaking defeat against New Zealand in the Semi-Finals.
This time, the 2023 Cricket World Cup is in India. Perhaps this is India’s finest chance to win the ICC trophy at home after 12 years. Rohit Sharma has proved his status as an excellent opening batsman in ODI. He is one of the most prolific ODI batsmen. He is a very aggressive batsman, and is capable of scoring big runs quickly.
He has scored over 9,000 runs in the ODI format with 29 centuries and 43 half-centuries. He is also the only batsman to score three double centuries in ODI matches. He is likely to be in contention for a place in India’s World Cup squad and he could potentially lead the team to victory.
However, Rohit has had injury problems in recent years and his form has also dipped at times. Therefore, he may retire from ODI cricket after the 2023 World Cup to focus on his Test and T20I careers.
Conclusion
It is important to note that these are just predictions and the players mentioned in this list may decide to continue playing cricket after the 2023 World Cup also. It is still too early to say whether these players will retire after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. They have all made significant contributions to their respective national teams and are considered among the finest ODI players in the world.
However, all of these players are in their mid-30s and have played international cricket for many years. Hence, it is likely that they will start thinking about their retirement plans in the next few years. They are all still capable of playing at the highest level. However, they may feel that it is time to move on to the next chapter in their careers. However, if they retire, they will leave behind a legacy of remarkable performances and memorable moments.