Gaming
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Who is Your Favourite?
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is the biggest event in the cricketing calendar, and it will be held in India from October 8 to November 19. Ten teams will compete for the coveted trophy, which was last won by England in 2019. India, the hosts, and the two-time champions are widely regarded as the favorites for the title, as they have a formidable batting lineup, a balanced bowling attack, and a home advantage.
However, who will win? Is your pick (or picks!) the undisputed favorites, or are there other contenders who can challenge them? In this blog post, we will analyze how each team fares and who is your favorite to win the title.
India: The Hosts and The Favourites
India is undoubtedly one of the strongest favorites of the betting app providers to win the World Cup, as they have a formidable batting lineup, a balanced bowling attack, and home advantage. Led by Rohit Sharma, India boasts of players like Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah, who can dominate any opposition on their day. India has also been consistent in ICC tournaments, reaching the semi-finals or finals in six of the last seven editions. India has won the World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011, and will be aiming to repeat the feat on home soil.
India’s experience and leadership are also key factors that make them a formidable team. They have players who have played in many international matches and tournaments. They also have players who have won the World Cup before, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. They have a calm and composed captain Rohit Sharma, who leads by example and motivates his teammates.
Australia: The Five-Time Champions
Australia is another team that cannot be taken lightly, as they have a history of winning the World Cup five times, more than any other team. Australia has a powerful batting lineup, featuring players like David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, and Mitchell Marsh. Their bowling unit is also formidable, with players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazlewood. Australia has also been in good form recently, winning the ODI series against India and South Africa earlier this year. Australia will be looking to bounce back from their semi-final exit in 2019 and reclaim their glory in 2023.
Pakistan: The Unpredictable Team
Pakistan is a team that can surprise anyone with its unpredictable performances. Pakistan has a talented squad, with players like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali. Pakistan also has a reputation for performing well in ICC tournaments, as they won the Champions Trophy in 2017 and reached the final of the World T20 in 2009 and 2007. Pakistan has also won the World Cup once, in 1992, under the inspirational leadership of Imran Khan. Pakistan will be hoping to emulate their success in 1992 and end their long wait for another World Cup title.
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman are likely to open the innings, followed by Mohammad Rizwan at number three. Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez can bat at number four and five respectively, while Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf can provide the finishing touches at number six and seven. Sarfaraz Ahmed can also be included as a wicket-keeper batsman who can bat anywhere in the order.
England: The Defending Champions
England is the defending champion of the World Cup, having won their maiden title in 2019 in a thrilling final against New Zealand. England has a dynamic batting lineup, with players like Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, and Moeen Ali. Their bowling unit is also impressive, with players like Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, and Sam Curran. England has also been consistent in ODI cricket in recent years, winning a series against India, Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England will be aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Australia in 2003 and 2007.
New Zealand: The Dark Horse
New Zealand is a team that has always punched above its weight in ICC tournaments. New Zealand has a balanced squad, with players like Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Devon Conway, Ross Taylor, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, and Tim Southee. New Zealand has also been in excellent form recently, winning the inaugural World Test Championship against India and reaching the final of the T20 World Cup in 2021. New Zealand has also reached the final of the last two ODI World Cups but lost both times to Australia and England. New Zealand will be hoping to go one step further in 2023 and win their first-ever World Cup title.
They have players who have played in many international matches and tournaments. They also have players who have reached the final of the last two ODI World Cups, like Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, and Tim Southee.
Conclusion
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament, with each team having its chance of winning the title. While India and Australia are the obvious favorites, Pakistan and England are also strong contenders, and New Zealand is always a dark horse. Who is your favorite to win the World Cup?
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Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
