The ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams are participating. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka will play for their pride. Teams had to progress to the tournament via the 2023 Cricket World Cup qualification process, with the West Indies missing out for the first time in their history. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final. In this article, We'll see and discuss the fixtures and schedules of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023.

Read Also: India vs Australia 2nd ODI: The Men In Blues secured the 3-match ODI series after a comfortable victory by 99 runs(DLS)

ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of England

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will be the only venue where England will play twice in the league stage – against New Zealand on October 5, and against Australia on November 4. India will host them at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, on October 29.

• Thursday, October 5: England v New Zealand (Ahmedabad), 2 pm
• Tuesday, October 10: England v Bangladesh (Dharamsala), 10:30 am
• Sunday, October 15: England v Afghanistan (Delhi), 2 pm
• Saturday, October 21: England v South Africa (Mumbai), 2 pm
• Thursday, October 26: England v Sri Lanka (Bengaluru), 2 pm
• Sunday, October 29: India v England (Lucknow), 2 pm
• Saturday, November 4: England v Australia (Ahmedabad), 2 pm
• Wednesday, November 8: England v Netherlands (Pune), 2 pm
• Saturday, November 11: England v Pakistan (Kolkata), 2 pm

ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of India

All of India's matches will begin at 2 p.m. local time. India will play their semifinal in Mumbai on November 15, unless they are supposed to play against Pakistan, in which case they'll play their semifinal in Kolkata on November 16 (if they qualify).

• October 8: India v Australia, Chennai, 2 pm
• October 11: India v Afghanistan, New Delhi, 2 pm
• October 14: India v Pakistan, Ahmedabad, 2 pm
• October 19: India v Bangladesh, Pune, 2 pm
• October 22: India v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 2 pm
• October 29: India v England, Lucknow, 2 pm
• November 2: India v Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2 pm
• November 5: India v South Africa, Kolkata, 2 pm
• November 11: India v Netherlands, Bengaluru, 2 pm

ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Australia

Australia will start their 2023 Cricket World Cup campaign against hosts India in Chennai on October 8. That will be the fifth match of the tournament.

• Sunday, October 8: India v Australia (Chennai), 2 pm
• Thursday, October 12: Australia v South Africa (Lucknow), 2 pm
• Monday, October 16: Australia v Sri Lanka (Lucknow), 2 pm
• Friday, October 20: Australia v Pakistan (Bengaluru), 2 pm
• Wednesday, October 25: Australia v Netherlands (Delhi), 2 pm
• Saturday, October 28: Australia v New Zealand (Dharamasala), 10:30 am
• Saturday, November 4: England v Australia (Ahmedabad), 2 pm
• Tuesday, November 7: Australia v Afghanistan (Mumbai), 2 pm
• Saturday, November 11: Australia v Bangladesh (Pune), 10:30 am

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Pakistan

Pakistan will play their matches in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata, with the box-office clash against India set to be held in Ahmedabad. They will play their semifinal in Kolkata on November 16 from 2 pm, if they qualify.

• October 6: Pakistan v Netherlands, Hyderabad, 2 pm
• October 10: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Hyderabad, 2 pm
• October 14: Pakistan v India, Ahmedabad, 2 pm
• October 20: Pakistan v Australia, Bengaluru, 2 pm
• October 23: Pakistan v Afghanistan, Chennai, 2 pm
• October 27: Pakistan v South Africa, Chennai, 2 pm
• October 31: Pakistan v Bangladesh, Kolkata, 2 pm
• November 4: Pakistan v New Zealand, Bengaluru, 10:30 am
• November 11: Pakistan v England, Kolkata, 2 pm

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of New Zealand

New Zealand came very close to winning the 2019 ODI World Cup against England. They will start the 2023 edition against their opponents from the final of the previous tournament, England. The match will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

• Thursday, October 5: England v New Zealand (Ahmedabad), 2 pm
• Monday, October 9: New Zealand v Netherlands (Hyderabad), 2 pm
• Friday, October 13: New Zealand v Bangladesh (Chennai), 2 pm
• Wednesday, October 18: New Zealand v Afghanistan (Chennai), 2 pm
• Sunday, October 22: India v New Zealand (Dharamsala), 2 pm
• Saturday, October 28: Australia v New Zealand (Dharamsala), 10:30 am
• Wednesday, November 1: New Zealand v South Africa (Pune), 2 pm
• Saturday, November 4: New Zealand v Pakistan (Bengaluru), 10:30 am
• Thursday, November 9: New Zealand v Sri Lanka (Bengaluru), 2 pm

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of South Africa

The Proteas will begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Delhi on October 7 and conclude the league stage against Afghanistan at Ahmedabad on November 10. South Africa will play twice at Mumbai, against England on October 21 and against Bangladesh on October 24.

Warm-up matches:

• September 29, 2 PM: South Africa v Afghanistan (Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram)
• October 2, 2 PM: South Africa v New Zealand (Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram)

Main Tournament:

• October 7, 2 PM: South Africa v Sri Lanka (Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi)
• October 12, 2 PM: South Africa v Australia (Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow)
• October 17, 2 PM: South Africa v Netherlands (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala)
• October 21, 2 PM: South Africa v England (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
• October 24, 2 PM: South Africa v Bangladesh (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
• October 27, 2 PM: South Africa v Pakistan (MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai)
• November 1, 2 PM: South Africa v New Zealand (Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Gahunje, Pune)
• November 5, 2 PM: South Africa v India (Eden Gardens, Kolkata)
• November 10, 2 PM: South Africa v Afghanistan (Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad)

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will begin the World Cup campaign against South Africa at Delhi on October 7, and round off the league stage against New Zealand at Bengaluru on November 9.

Warm-up matches:

• September 29, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati)
• October 3, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati)

Main Tournament:

• October 7, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v South Africa (Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi)
• October 10, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Pakistan (Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad)
• October 16, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Australia (Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow)
• October 21, 10.30 AM: Sri Lanka v Netherlands (Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow)
• October 26, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v England (M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru)
• October 30, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Gahunje, Pune)
• November 2, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v India (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
• November 6, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi)
• November 9, 2 PM: Sri Lanka v New Zealand (M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru)

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Bangladesh

Bangladesh will start their competition two days later of the campaign opener against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. They will face England at the same venue two days later, before travelling to Chennai to play New Zealand.

• Saturday, October 7: Bangladesh v Afghanistan, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala – 10:30 am
• Tuesday, October 10: England v Bangladesh, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala – 10:30 am
• Friday, October 13: New Zealand v Bangladesh, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – 2 pm
• Thursday, October 19: India v Bangladesh, MCA International Stadium, Pune – 2 pm
• Tuesday, October 24: South Africa v Bangladesh, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 2 pm
• Saturday, October 28: Netherlands v Bangladesh, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 2 pm
• Tuesday, October 31: Pakistan v Bangladesh, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 2 pm
• Monday, November 6: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi – 2 pm
• Saturday, November 11: Australia v Bangladesh, MCA International Stadium, Pune – 10:30 am

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Afghanistan

Afghanistan will begin their World Cup campaign in Dharamshala with a match against Bangladesh. They will play their nine league games across seven venues in India.

• Saturday, October 7: Bangladesh v Afghanistan, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala – 10:30 am
• Wednesday, October 11: India v Afghanistan, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi – 2 pm
• Sunday, October 15: England v Afghanistan, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi – 2 pm
• Wednesday, October 18: New Zealand v Afghanistan, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – 2 pm
• Monday, October 23: Pakistan v Afghanistan, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – 2 pm
• Monday, October 30: Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, MCA International Stadium, Pune – 2 pm
• Friday, November 3: Netherlands v Afghanistan, BRSABVE Stadium, Lucknow – 2 pm
• Tuesday, November 7: Australia v Afghanistan, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 2 pm
• Friday, November 10: South Africa v Afghanistan, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – 2 pm

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Fixture and Schedule of Netherlands

The Netherlands will start their ODI World Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan in Hyderabad on October 6. The Dutch came through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe as Qualifier 1.

• October 6 - Pakistan vs Netherlands, Hyderabad, 2:00 pm IST
• October 9 - New Zealand vs Netherlands, Hyderabad, 2:00 pm IST
• October 17 - South Africa vs Netherlands, Dharamsala, 2:00 pm IST
• October 21 - vs Sri Lanka, Lucknow, 10:30 am IST
• October 25 - Australia vs Netherlands, Delhi, 2:00 pm IST
• October 28 - Netherlands vs Bangladesh, Kolkata, 2:00 pm IST
• November 3 - Netherlands vs Afghanistan, Lucknow, 2:00 pm IST
• November 8 - England vs Netherlands, Pune, 2:00 pm IST
• November 12 - India vs Netherlands, Bengaluru, 2:00 pm IST

The International Cricket Council (ICC) conducts different cricket events and tournaments throughout the year. ICC tournaments are the biggest platforms in the game of cricket, where the top teams contest against each other for championship podiums.

Contributing to the team on a big stage like this will always be remembered for a long time. The ODI World Cup is conducted once every four years, whereas the Men's T20 World Cup is played every two years. The ICC Champions Trophy is where only the top 8 teams compete in each finals tournament.

Last but not least, the World Test Championship is played over two years. This article thoroughly talks about the men's cricketing teams that have won ICC trophies at some point in time. Let's take a look at the teams with the most ICC Trophies.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma in ICC knockout games

Australia | 10

Australia's sheer dominance over other cricketing teams is nothing new. For decades, Australia has been executing out-of-ordinary performances and winning trophies for the country. Out of all the cricketing countries, Australia has the most ICC trophies.

Till now the Aussies won 10 ICC trophies. Australia is the only team to win 6 ICC World Cups. The most successful team in the Cricket World Cup clinched the trophy in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and 2023. Interestingly Australia made a record of being the only team to win the trophy in all the countries that hosted the World Cup.

Australia won the ICC Champions Trophy twice in 2006 and 2009 against West Indies and New Zealand respectively. Lastly, Australia lifted their first-ever ICC T20 World Cup trophy after defeating New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup. They claimed the ICC World Test Championship after defeating India at the Oval by a huge margin of 209 runs.

Read also: Top 8 Wicket-takers of T20 World Cup 2021

India | 7

India sits in the second position on this prestigious list of most ICC Trophies by any team. India won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Later again 28 years, the men in blue won the World Cup for the second time under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2011.

The Indian men's cricket team also reached the semifinals four times in 1987, 1996, 2015, and 2019. Meantime, they lost in two finals in 2003 and 2023.

The men in blue won the Champions Trophy thrice. First, in 2002, both the finalists India and Sri Lanka were declared the co-champions of the 2002 Champions Trophy. In the 2013 edition, India defeated England by 5 runs and won the Champions Trophy for the second time in Birmingham. Their latest triumph came via Champions Trophy 2025, as they defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai in the final.

Lastly, India won the inaugural edition of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 after defeating Pakistan in Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, India defeated  South Africa by 7 runs to lift the trophy for the second time.

Read also: India's performance in every ICC tournament

West Indies | 5

Read also: T20 World Cup 2021: Man of the Series, highest wicket-taker, and highest run-getter

Next on this list is West Indies with a total of 5 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC World Cup final was won by West Indies in 1975. West Indies once again continued their reign in the next edition of the World Cup as well, in 1979. The Caribbean team also won the Champions Trophy in 2004. Lastly, West Indies became the winner of the ICC T20 World Cup twice; once against Sri Lanka in 2012 and the other time against England in 2016.

England | 3

Till 2010, the England team has not had any ICC Tournament. But, it was in 2010, when they won their first ICC T20 World Cup against arch-rival Australia. Craig Kieswetter guided them home in the final for their first-ever ICC Trophy. Post that, they have been a phenomenal white-ball team and won two ICC World Cups since then.

In 2019, they won their first ICC Men's ODI World Cup as Ben Stokes made all the difference in the final against England in a match where boundary count helped England to win the World Cup.

England's latest ICC Trophy triumph came under Jos Buttler as they became the first-ever team in Cricket history to hold the ODI and T20 World Cup at the same time. Jos Buttler and company won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 as Sam Curran won the player of the tournament after taking 13 wickets with the ball. Curran also was the player of the match in the final as well.

Pakistan | 3

Pakistan sits in the fourth position on the list of most ICC Trophy wins by any team with 3 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC trophy won by Pakistan was during the 1992 cricket World Cup. Pakistan defeated England in the final and won by 22 runs.

The next ICC trophy won by Pakistan was in the 2009 T20 World Cup where they beat Sri Lanka in the final and won the title by 8 wickets. The most recent and last ICC win of Pakistan is the 2017 Champions Trophy where they defeated India by 180 runs.

Read also: "No one is more disappointed than me": Hasan Ali after T20 World Cup 2021 exit

Sri Lanka | 3

Read also: ICC Hall of fame: Shaun Pollock, Mahela Jayawardene and Janette Britti get inducted

With 3 ICC trophies, Sri Lanka sits in 5th position on this list. Sri Lanka won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1996 where they played against Australia in the final hosted in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. They went ahead to win their next ICC trophy in the 2002 Champions Trophy. The winner of the tournament is actually both India and Sri Lanka as both the finalist teams were declared as co-champions.

The last time Sri Lanka won an ICC Trophy was when they defeated India in the 2014 T20 World Cup hosted in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka.

New Zealand | 2

The New Zealand cricket team has won a total of 2 ICC trophies since they started competing in tournaments conducted by ICC. The Kiwis won their first-ever ICC Trophy in the 2000 Champions Trophy. Nairobi hosted the final of New Zealand vs India where New Zealand won the match by 4 wickets.

The next ICC Trophy won by the Kiwis was the ICC World Test Championship. Once again, New Zealand played against India in the final of an ICC event and clinched the trophy in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final.

Read also: Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments

South Africa | 2

South Africa have broken the jinx and finally won an ICC trophy after 27 years, only their second ICC title after beating Australia by five wickets at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground to become World Test champions. Chasing 282 runs to win, Aiden Markram registered his eighth Test century and played one of the most important knocks of his career with 136 runs to guide the Proteas to a historic win.

Meanwhile, in the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy hosted in Bangladesh, South Africa beat West Indies in the final to win their first ICC title. Jacques Kallis was exceptional and contributed the most to the team reaching and winning the final and was awarded the player of the tournament. He hit a century and picked up a five-wicket haul as well.

Note: The stats include shared trophies. The article was first written by Shreya Ghosh and then got edited by Abishek Goswami.

Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has suddenly returned to India, citing a family emergency as the reason. A BCCI source has given this information to news agency PTI.

The source said that Gambhir had to return to take care of his mother, who has been admitted to a hospital in New Delhi due to health complications. The Shubman Gill-led Indian Test team is in England to play a five-match IND vs ENG series, starting June 20 in Leeds.

Also Read: Exclusive: Advised by Sourav Ganguly, Abishek Porel gets coached by Yuvraj Singh; this is what he learned

Doeschate will look after the team for now

In Gambhir's absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate will oversee the team during the four-day intra-squad match between India and India A starting from Friday. He will be assisted by other coaching staff like bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Shitanshu Kotak. If all goes well at home, Gambhir is expected to return to England within a week.

Indian team would like to test its preparations

The Indian team will play intra-squad matches to finalise its preparations ahead of the IND vs ENG five-match Test series. India A played two unofficial Test matches against England Lions and the batsmen showed their prowess in them. Such matches are important for the preparation of the team before any series. India has opted to play this match in an empty stadium so that the opposing team does not get a clue of their strategy.

All eyes will be on Kuldeep-Jadeja

In this match, the performance of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja will be watched and an interesting competition is expected between these two to make a place in the final eleven of the Indian Test team.

India's bowling coach Morne Morkel had said on Wednesday that the match is crucial for India's preparation as it is difficult to develop the ability to bowl and field 90 overs in a day through normal practice sessions. This match will give the Indian team management a good opportunity to assess its players, especially the bowlers, in match situations.

Also Read: Ellyse Perry predicts the winner of WTC 2025

This will help ensure that the bowlers, be it spinners or pacers, are in the required rhythm in the actual match. Gambhir will have to do some brainstorming to pick the only specialist spinner for Headingley.

Jadeja has a good batting record abroad but if India has to take 20 wickets then Kuldeep's role will become important. Kuldeep can prove to be a good partner of fast bowler Jaspreet Bumrah in the conditions here. Jadeja vs Kuldeep is the biggest puzzle for the playing XI that the team management will have to solve.

Eyes will be on fast bowlers as well

Similarly, this match will give the team management and captain Shubman Gill a chance to see which ball works better in these conditions - Akash Deep's full length or Prasidh Krishna's back of the length. Bumrah, who will be playing a red ball match after six months, will get a chance to bowl multiple spells and test his fitness. He has played only IPL since returning from a lower back injury.

Winning an ICC tournament final demands exceptional skill from every player, but history shows that a phenomenal bowling performance can be the ultimate difference-maker. Destructive spells can break down the opposition in no-time and seal the victory single-handedly.

It is time to revisit such unbelievably good performances from bowlers across the world. Check out the list of best figures in an ICC tournament final.

1. Pat Cummins (6/28) vs SA | ICC WTC 2025 Final

• Wickets: 6
• Runs: 28
• Overs: 18.1
• Economy: 1.54

Pat Cummins' 6/28 against South Africa in the 2025 WTC Final has broken all the long-standing record for best figures in an ICC tournament final. On a challenging Lord's pitch, he brilliantly ripped through the South African batting line-up in their first innings.

Cummins was particularly impactful after the lunch break on Day 2, where he single-handedly shattered their middle and lower order, taking wickets of the skipper Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, and others.

His spell restricted the Proteas to only 138 runs, giving Australia a first-innings lead of 74 runs.

read Also: Most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests

2. Jacques Kallis (5/30) vs WI | ICC Champions Trophy 1998 Final

• Wickets: 5
• Runs: 30
• Overs: 7.3
• Economy: 4.00

Jacques Kallis was the key all-rounder who helped South Africa secure their first-ever ICC title in 1998 with his spectacular performance. He contributed with the bat, but what stood out was his 5-wicket haul (for only 30 runs) that took down half of the West Indies batting line-up.

This performance was a glimpse of the wonderful career he had as one of the world's premier all-rounders.

3. Kyls Jamieson (5/31) vs IND | ICC WTC 2021 Final

• Wickets: 5
• Runs: 31
• Overs: 22
• Economy: 1.40

Kyle Jamieson literally blew team India away with his 5/31 spell in the WTC 2021 Final, earning the trophy as well as POTM title. His ability to produce extra bounce on a green Southampton pitch dismissed dangerous batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant.

His spell helped New Zealand take a lead in the first innings which was crucial for their eight-wicket victory.

4. Joel Garner (5/38) vs ENG | ICC Cricket World Cup 1979 Final

• Wickets: 5
• Runs: 38
• Overs: 11
• Economy: 3.45

Joel Garner's 5/38 against England in the 1979 CWC Final is one of the most iconic spells in the World Cup history. His towering height and lethal accuracy bagged him five wickets in a mere 11 balls.

After Viv Richards' magnificent century in the first innings, which put out a strong 286 on board, Garner brilliantly took the charge to slow the English batters down, never letting them reach near the total.

This performance secured a 98-run victory for West Indies, along with their second consecutive World Cup win.

Read Also: Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

5. Gary Gilmour (5/48) vs WI (ICC Cricket World Cup 1975 Final)

• Wickets: 5
• Runs: 48
• Overs: 12
• Economy: 4.00

Gary Gilmour was Australia's star bowler in the ICC CWC 1975 Final who gave all his efforts taking 5 wickets for 48 runs but the team ultimately fell short at the end. Coming off a stunning 6/14 in the semi-final, he continued his impressive form on the biggest stage.

His spell provided Australia a fighting chance to defend the total in a high-scoring final match, making it one of the very few five-wicket hauls ever taken in a World Cup Final.

Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.

Also Read: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets

The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australia’s most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.

McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.

5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets

New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019–2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadeja’s evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.

His all-round prowess was key to India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy. 

3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets

New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.

Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets

India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.

Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).

Also Read: Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Mitchell Starc | 11* Wickets

Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.

The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.

He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.

The air around Pakistan Cricket is thick with anticipation. Unconfirmed but strong reports indicate that Pakistan Cricket Board (PSB) is set to make a major leadership change, with Salman Ali Agha likely to take over Pakistan's all-format captaincy.

This is not just a routine captaincy change; it's a strategic move by PCB that could fundamentally change the team's trajectory.

What does this decision truly signify for the Green Shirts? Find out.

The current captains: Where do they stand?

Pakistan's captaincy landscape is currently questionable, influenced by their recent performances.

1. Shan Masood (Test Captain)

Appointed in November 2023, Shan Masood's captaincy has been challenging. The team suffered a 3-0 whitewash in Australia (Dec 2023- Jan 2024) which placed his position under significant threat.

Additionally, they also lost 2-0 to Bangladesh (Aug-Sept 2024) which almost marked the end of his captaincy tenure.

2. Mohammad Rizwan (ODI Captain)

Named full-time ODI captain in 2024, Mohammad Rizwan's tenure is also under review. While he had initial success, his position came under threat after their early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, despite being the defending champions.

This include big losses to New Zealand and India in the tournament.

3. Salman Ali Agha (T20 Captain)

Appointed T20 captain in March 2025, Agha has been impressive. Under his brief leadership, the T20I side has reportedly shown "newfound intent" while batting. 

He has impressed both the selection committee and PCB chairman.

PCB's decision to change:

The PCB's move towards an all-format captain, particularly Salman Ali Agha, signals a desire for greater stability, a unified vision, and a fresh approach after a period of mixed results and frequent leadership changes.

The performances under Masood and Rizwan, especially in critical series and tournaments, have undeniably shaped the board's apparent decision towards a new captaincy structure and implement a new era under a single leader.