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
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
