On October 5, 2023, the ICC Cricket World Cup has commenced in India. It has been 12 years since the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup was last held in India. The mega event includes ten teams competing. Round-robin matches will be followed by a knockout round in which 10 teams will compete for the prestigious trophy. Most players have an advantage over others because they are familiar with Indian conditions through the Indian Premier League. India will be hosting the complete ICC World Cup for the first time. In 2011, MS Dhoni led India to the World Cup victory.

The tournament will feature 48 games, including the finals on November 19. Notably, a few cricketers who competed in the 2011 World Cup are also competing in the 2023 World Cup. We will discuss all the cricketers who played in India during the World Cup 2011 and will are also a part of World Cup 2023.

The 2011 World Cup Veterans Back in 2023

Virat Kohli

During the 2011 World Cup, Indian batter Virat Kohli had a huge effect. In nine matches, he scored 282 runs at an average of about 35.25. He became the first Indian to score a century against Bangladesh in India’s World Cup debut. India went on to win the World Cup in 2011 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, and Kohli’s performances were critical in clinching the trophy. Kohli provided consistency and important runs when needed in the batting lineup. The competition was a watershed moment in Virat Kohli‘s career, ushering him into the ranks of the world’s top batsmen. Since then, he has set countless records and received various awards in international cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin

The 2011 World Cup was missed by the Indian off-spinner since the team’s reliance on Harbhajan Singh and Piyush Chawla for spin bowling was so great. During his limited appearances, Ashwin took two wickets in each of the two matches he played against West Indies and Australia. Despite appearing in only two One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in 2023, he had a huge influence on his comeback to India’s ODI lineup soon before the 2023 World Cup. Ashwin demonstrated his abilities by taking four wickets in the ODI series against Australia, including a three-wicket haul, earning him a position in India’s World Cup 2023 team due to Axar Patel’s injury-induced absence.

Steve Smith

During the 2011 World Cup, Steve Smith was a relatively young and developing player on the Australian team. His career prospered in the years after the competition, and he rose to become one of the world’s top batters. He is well-known for his powerful hitting and great fielding abilities. Smith has played six one-day internationals (ODIs) and scored 137 runs in the run-up to the 2023 World Cup. Smith scored a superb 74 against India in the third ODI before joining the World Cup warm-ups.

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Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson debuted in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, which was played in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka. At the time, he was a relatively young and budding talent. During the 2011 World Cup, he was still in the early stages of his international career, but he has since developed into one of the world’s top cricketers, noted for his consistency and leadership as New Zealand’s captain. New Zealand advanced to the World Cup semi-finals in 2011 but was defeated by Sri Lanka. Williamson only played three ODIs in 2023 before suffering a knee injury during the IPL 2023, which prevented him from participating in the 2023 World Cup. He recovered rather quickly, though, and scored fifty runs against Pakistan in a warm-up game.

Tim Southee

As a member of the New Zealand team during the 2011 World Cup, Tim Southee took 18 wickets, second only to Shahid Afridi (21 wickets) and Zaheer Khan (21 wickets). During the event, Southee had an excellent bowling average of roughly 17.33. His finest World Cup bowling performance came against Kenya, where he grabbed three wickets for 13 runs. His outstanding bowling contributed significantly to New Zealand’s campaign. It also cemented his place as a vital bowler for New Zealand in limited-overs cricket, and he has been an important component of the team’s pace attack in the years afterward. In the run-up to the 2023 World Cup, he played six one-day internationals and took ten wickets before sustaining an injury to his right thumb. He was, however, authorized to join the squad for the World Cup in India in 2023. Following surgery on his fractured right thumb, he continues to recover.

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Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan, a famous all-rounder from Bangladesh, stood out at the 2011 World Cup. In eight games, he scored 142 runs while taking 8 wickets. His only half-century in that tournament came against India where the southpaw scored 55 odd runs. His performance demonstrated his skill as one of the top all-rounders in international cricket, and in the years that followed, he remained an important member of Bangladesh’s batting and bowling lineups.

Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper-batter, scored 81 runs in six matches during the 2011 World Cup. Overall, Mushfiqur’s best performance in that tournament came against Ireland where he scored 36 runs. He remained an important member of the Bangladesh squad in the years thereafter. In the run-up to the World Cup 2023, he has scored 595 runs, including a century, in 17 one-day internationals (ODIs).

Mahmudullah Riyad

During Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign in 2011, Mahmudullah Riyad batted in the middle order. He scored 32 runs in all, averaging almost 16 runs per game. His finest batting effort came in the group stage against England, where he scored 21 runs and assisted Bangladesh in making history by defeating England. Mahmudullah contributed to the ball as a part-time off-spinner. During the competition, he claimed three wickets. Mahmudullah’s exploits at the 2011 World Cup demonstrated his flexibility as an all-rounder, and he was instrumental in Bangladesh’s success.

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Wesley Barresi 

The 2011 World Cup, which was played in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, saw the Dutch cricketer Wesley Barresi making his international debut. Barresi appeared in six matches and scored 153 runs during the competition. In the 2011 tournament, he mostly batted as an opening batter and had a batting average of 25.5. His greatest World Cup score was 44 runs against England in 2011. Barresi’s performances were critical for the Netherlands, particularly in the top order, as they played against some of the world’s best cricketing nations. It is significant to remember that during the 2011 World Cup, the Netherlands was regarded as an associate member of the ICC and competed against full member countries. Despite the difficulties, Barresi’s performances in a World Cup tournament were noteworthy for an associate team member. Through the qualifiers, Sri Lanka and Netherlands both gained entry to the 2023 World Cup.

Adil Rashid

The English leg-spinner warmed the bench in 2011 when Graeme Swann and James Tredwell were selected over him.  Adil Rashid, on the other hand, has emerged as England’s finest limited-overs spinner. Rashid, on the other hand, was a major member of England’s World Cup-winning side in 2019 and will be a key weapon for the English team in the upcoming event.

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