ODI World Cup 2023: Ranking best openers in the tournament

The 2023 World Cup will begin on November 5, 2023, with the inaugural clash between 2019 World Cup finalists England and New Zealand at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium. Indian pitches are known for being batting-friendly so there are high chances of batters dominating the upcoming competition.

In the marquee One-Day International (ODI) event, all sides will expect their openers to be exceptional with their bats coming heavily on bowlers. Keeping that in mind, it’s essential to rank some openers who are expected to rock the upcoming tournament with their remarkable batting skills.

Here are the rankings of openers who are expected to be at their best in the 2023 World Cup

10. Temba Bavuma

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma has looked amazing with his bat in 2023. In his 10 ODI appearances, this year, he has scored 637 runs with three tons and two fifties. The right-handed batter kicked off this year positively, becoming the highest run-getter for his side in his team’s victory against England in a three-match ODI series at home.

In South Africa’s 2-1 triumph against England, Bavuma chipped in with 180 runs with a hundred in three games. The Protea skipper continued his excellent form against the West Indies in a three-match ODI series held in March. This time, he contributed a 144-run knock to his team in the second one-day played at the Buffalo Park. 

The 33-year-old looked fine in the five-match ODI series against Australia as well. In the first game at Mangaung Oval, he stood as a lone warrior in South Africa’s batting line-up, scoring 114 off 142. These performances indicate that the Protea captain can get the better of bowlers in the upcoming World Cup.