ODI World Cup: Fielding is one of the most crucial fundamentals of cricket because it helps bowlers keep hitters at bay. Pakistan fielders put up poor fielding performances against India in the Asia Cup 2023, earning harsh criticism. India and Nepal met in match four, and it was the Indian team’s chance to disappoint their fans.
Indian fielders dropped three catches in the first five overs of the game, allowing Nepal to dominate the contest. Normally, India is regarded as a disciplined fielding side, but stats show that Team India has been among the bottom ten teams in terms of remaining vigilant and catching catches in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) following the 2019 World Cup in England.
As cricket fans prepare for the 2023 World Cup in India, it’s time to learn about the fielding potential of the top ten ODI nations. During the India-Nepal match, a chart was exhibited that highlighted the standings of teams in the fielding department based on the catch efficiency rate.
ODI World Cup teams with best catch efficiencies:
10. Afghanistan:
Team Afghanistan ranks last among the top ten teams, with a catch efficiency rating of 71.2%. Gulbaddin Naib and Rashid Khan, for example, are great fielders with the ability to catch stunners with their briskness and precision. In the next years, the Afghan team will require more aggressive players like Rashid and Naib, who can provide powerful performances while also serving as fielders.
9. India:
Team India has a catch efficiency of 75.1% and is only slightly ahead of Afghanistan on the table. Despite having specialised fielders such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja, India’s performance in catching is deplorable.
8. South Africa:
The South African team is often regarded as one of the best fielding units in the sport. When it comes to developing skilled fielders, their past is vast. Fielding legends such as Jonty Rhodes, AB de Villiers, and Faf du Plessis have come from the Proteas. They are ranked seventh in the catch efficiency table, with a catch efficiency rate of 75.6%.
7. Bangladesh:
Bangladesh has improved their ODI standard in recent years. The Bangla squad has outperformed quality rivals in a few areas of the game. After the 2019 World Cup, their catch efficiency rate is 75.8%. Mehidy Hasan and Litton Das, two-time Asia Cup finalists, are noted for their excellent fielding abilities.
6. West Indies:
After a dismal result in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers, the West Indies will not compete in the 2023 World Cup. During these trying times, their catch efficiency stats will make their die-hard followers happy. With a catch effectiveness of 77.9%, the Windies team outperforms giants such as India and South Africa.
5. Australia:
The Australian cricket squad may be the most disciplined side in One-Day Internationals. They have continuously played quality cricket since the 2019 World Cup in England. Their catch efficiency of 78.5% helps them become a strong team in the 50-over format.
4. Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka was once the best fielding side among Asian teams such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Their success in One-Day Internationals has declined in recent years, but fielding is still one of the best in the world. Their catch efficiency is 78.8%, making them one of the most disciplined ODI fielding teams.
3. New Zeland:
New Zealand has a catch efficiency of 80.9%, putting them in third place on this ranking. Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner, for example, are outstanding fielders for the Kiwis, causing havoc not only with the ball but also with their exceptional fielding abilities.
2. Pakistan:
Pakistan has made significant progress in one-day cricket in recent years. They are now ranked first in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings. With 81.6% catch efficiency, they are now ranked second. These figures show that Babar Azam and his guys are performing admirably on the pitch.
1. England:
England won their first World Cup in 2019 thanks to Eoin Morgan’s outstanding captaincy. Following their title win in 2019, they have continued their outstanding performance, and they are among the favourites to win the World Cup again in 2023 in India. Fielding is critical to England’s disciplined performance. Their catch effectiveness of 82.8% has piqued the interest of every cricket fan, elevating them to the top fielding side on the ODI circuit following the 2019 World Cup.
So, this was all about the top ten teams with the highest catch efficiencies in the ODI World Cup. Also read, Rohit Sharma reacts on breaking Chris Gayle’s record.