The ODI World Cup 2023 has begun with all the zest, peps & not to forget drama. Whether it’s Afghanistan’s jaw-dropping win against England or Virat Kohli & Babar Azam’s Camaraderie after the IND vs PAK clash, the ongoing World Cup 2023 is not leaving any chance to grab viewers’ attention. Apart from all the drama & action-packed cricket what has grabbed the limelight is team composition that has left viewers wondering about it. Teams participating in the tournament have formed a lethal combination of experienced as well as young players to provide a much-needed balance to the team. In fact, in India, two veterans who were also a part of the ODI World Cup 2011 continue to be an integral part of the ODI World Cup 2023. Teams are promising as the management has included young players in the lineup & at the same time they are not compromising on the experience element by including veteran players in the lineup. So let’s have a look at the Oldest Players who are playing in ODI World Cup 2023
5 Oldest Players in ODI World Cup 2023
5) Ravichandran Ashwin (India)- 36 years 353d
When destiny is in your favor no one can snatch success from you. This saying has come true in the case of Ravichandran Ashwin who was included at the last moment in India’s ODI World Cup 2023 Squad. R Ashwin walked into the lineup in place of Axar Patel who missed the action due to an injury that he sustained during Asia Cup 2023. On September 28, when there was a deadline for submitting the final squad, Indian management confirmed that Ashwin had replaced Axar in the lineup.
R Ashwin now joins Virat Kohli as the only two players of the ODI World Cup 2011 to play in a World Cup at the home ground for the second time. Notably, R Ashwin has made a comeback to ODIs after 20 months in the Australia ODI series & did well against the Aussies by returning with three wickets in Indore ODI. His ODI stats speaks volume as in 116 ODIs he has returned with 156 wickets at an economy of 4.93. Though he has played ODI after 20 long months he has returned with results in India’s first clash against Australia. Ashwin returned with figures of 1-34 in his 10 overs. Ashwin’s off-spin adds variety to India’s spin attack & he is one of the Oldest Players in the ODI World Cup 2023.
4) Mahmudullah (Bangladesh) 37 years 234 days
Mahmudullah is among the Oldest Players to feature in ODI World Cup 2023. He made a last-minute entry in Bangladesh’s ODI World Cup 2023 Squad. Notably the prolific right-handed batter is the first Bangladeshi to score a ton in the World Cup tournament. He achieved that remarkable feat in the World Cup 2015 against England.
With 5020 runs in 221 ODIs, Mahmudullah is one of the most experienced campaigners in Bangladesh cricket. He has scored 3 tons with 82 wickets to his name. As Tamim Iqbal is not a part of the Bangladesh squad, Mahmudullah managed to provide the experience that which team needs along with Shakib-Al-Hasan & Mushfiqur Rahim. So far Bangladesh has played three fixtures in the tournament out of which Mahmudullah could play in their third fixture against New Zealand. And the prolific all-rounder made the most of the opportunity by scoring an unbeaten 41 off 49 balls. Mahmudullah will continue to be Bangladesh’s biggest bet in the lineup & add depth to their batting order by performing in the lower order.
3) Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) 38 years 270 Days
When the Oldest players in the ODI World Cup 2023 history are talked about, Mohammad Nabi occupies the top spot on the list. Notably, Nabi is the oldest player of the Afghanistan team to feature in the ODI World Cup 2023. The 38-year-old has been a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s batting lineup since 2009. He made his World Cup debut in 2015 along with Afghanistan’s National team.
Nabi has featured in 150 ODIs scoring 3187 runs with one century & 16 half centuries on his name. Nabi has picked 156 wickets at an economy of 4.29. The prolific batter featured in his 150th ODI fixture when they faced England in the ODI World Cup 2023. A power-hitter & early wicket-scalper, Nabi adds a plethora of runs to his kitty whenever he comes on the field. He will be a force to reckon with when they take on New Zealand in Match 16 of the tournament. Nabi fans will hope that the batter makes this World Cup memorable for them by hitting a gleaming century in a fixture against New Zealand.
2) Roelof Van Der Merwe (Netherlands) 38 y 250D
Netherlands left-arm spinner & hard-hitting all-rounder, Roelof Van Der Merwe is another player on the list of Oldest Players in the ODI World Cup 2023. Less did people know that earlier Merwe used to play for South Africa but back in 2015 he moved to the Netherlands & joined their T20I squad. His ODI debut for the Netherlands came in 2019. The 38-year-old prolific cricketer is known for his all-round capabilities. He has always stood up & performed when the team needed his services the most. Currently in the ODI World Cup 2023 during the Netherlands fixture against South Africa, Merwe returned with figures of 29 runs off 19 balls in the lower order to help the Dutch side post a competitive total on board. Later their bowlers capitalized on their batting performance & wrapped Proteas innings at 207 runs registering a gleaming 38-run win over South Africa. Der Merwe’s played a huge role in this historic win. He has so far featured in 19 ODIs scalping 23 wickets at an economy of 5.02. He has also delivered with the willow by scoring 130 runs in 19 matches. Merwe will hope to continue his good form in upcoming fixtures of ODI World Cup 2023 & guide his team to glorious wins.
2) Wesley Barresi (Netherlands) 39 years 127D
The player who occupies the top spot on the list of Oldest Players to play in ODI World Cup 2023 is none other than Netherlands’ Wesley Barresi. 39-year-old has enjoyed a scintillating career with the Netherlands team. Just like Virat Kohli & R Ashwin, Barresi was also a part of the Netherlands team that featured in the ODI World Cup 2011 which was jointly hosted by India.
After making his ODI debut in 2010, Barressi has featured in 45 matches amassing 1193 runs with the highest score being unbeaten 137 runs with one ton & 8 fifties on his name. He has also done a good job as a wicket-keeper effecting 8 stumpings & 20 catches. Barresi announced his retirement from Cricket in 2011 but returned in the format in 2022 to feature in the ODI World Cup 2023 before saying goodbye to cricket. However, the veteran player didn’t get a chance to play in the World Cup 2023. We hope that we get a chance to witness him at least once on the field before he finally bids adieu to cricket.
These are the Oldest Players who are a part of ODI World Cup 2023. Some of them have featured in Playing XI for their respective teams while some of them are yet to make a cut into the Playing team. But no matter what the case is they are one of the best players in their respective departments & continue to inspire budding cricketers across the globe.
Also read, AFG vs NZ Live Score, ICC ODI World Cup 2023
