England's misery, Netherlands' delight, Pakistan's chaos
Our first batch of team report cards for 2023

Rachin Ravindra was New Zealand's highest run-getter at the ODI World Cup, with 578 runs at 64.22, including three hundreds • Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
New Zealand
New Zealand continued to do New Zealand things - with or without Kane Williamson, who featured in only 14 of their 61 internationals in 2023. Like making another ODI World Cup semi-final, where they gave tournament favourites India a mini-scare. Like toppling Bangladesh on a raging turner in the Mirpur Test in December.
Of course, the Black Caps qualifying for the World Cup knockouts for the fifth time in a row since the 2003 edition of the tournament. It all started with a rematch of the 2019 final in Ahmedabad, where New Zealand walloped England, despite injuries to Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee. This game also marked the arrival of Ravindra on the world stage.
Folding for 98 against Bangladesh men in what was arguably the most un-New Zealand performance of the year. This was New Zealand's first defeat to Bangladesh at home in 19 ODIs. They also suffered their first-ever defeat against non-Test playing nations across formats when they lost a T20I to UAE in Dubai.
England
At least the Moral Ashes are safely locked away for another year. As for more tangible, traditional silverware … best look away now.
Stuart Broad's glorious march into the sunset on the final day at The Oval was pure theatre - even down to the panto-voodoo nonsense of his bail-switching. And yet, when the euphoria of the moment died down and Australia were left to lift the Ashes urn once more, it was clear that the journey, rather than the destination, had been the true thrill of England's year. For that reason, nothing could top Zak Crawley's preposterous 189 at Old Trafford. No Australian Test attack has ever been hit harder or faster, and for three extraordinary days, it felt like a prophecy was unfolding before us. But then, of course, it rained…
Nothing can match the misery of that World Cup campaign… but which micro-humiliation would you wish to zoom in on? The opening-day demolition in Ahmedabad, when New Zealand - freshly seen off 3-1 on home soil - cantered to a sweat-free nine-wicket win in front of a non-existent crowd? That guileless maiden defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi, where England's solitary six came in the 31st over of their flatlining run-chase? Or the trio of losses to Sri Lanka, Australia and India that left England scrambling even for a top-eight finish and a place at the 2025 Champions Trophy? Nope, the nadir came in Mumbai, where England witlessly elected to bake themselves alive on the most sweltering day of the tournament, leaving Heinrich Klaasen's magnificent century to set South Africa up for a whopping 229-run win.
Sri Lanka
We will lament the state of the men's team soon enough, but Sri Lanka women have had their best year ever, and this is worth celebrating. In February they delivered one of the surprises of the tournament when they defeated South Africa early in the T20 World Cup. In July they defeated New Zealand in an ODI series at home - the first time they had ever defeated the side in any format. In September they came from 1-0 down to England to secure a 2-1 series victory, in England. And in September they made the final of the Asian Games, losing the gold-medal match to India.
Beating England in England was impressive, but that had been a depleted England side attempting to blood new players. Defeating a largely full-strength New Zealand team in the ODIs at home felt like a significant moment for the development of women's cricket, particularly when that win was aided by good performances from the likes of Gunaratne.
Sri Lanka losing their hosting rights for the 2024 Men's Under-19 World Cup as a result of the suspension SLC officials have themselves had helped orchestrate. SLC president Shammi Silva then attempted to paint the loss of those hosting rights as not a particularly big deal, at a press conference.
Pakistan
It was a year of mayhem, and though chaos is often a seasoning ingredient for Pakistan cricket, there was little positivity to be gleaned amidst the madness. The year was always going to be defined by the World Cup, and, Pakistan fizzled out with something of a whimper. A loss to Afghanistan and a walloping against India doomed both their points and net run rate, and there was no recovering from either.
The women's team might not have had a great ODI year or T20 World Cup, but the away series win in New Zealand - they became the first Asian side to achieve one - went some way towards lifting the pall of gloom that had descended over Pakistan cricket late in the year. Spearheaded by breakout star Fatima Sana, Pakistan clinched the T20I series 2-1, before being shaded 1-2 in the ODIs. It was something of a breakthrough year for women's T20 cricket in Pakistan: there was a 3-0 home clean sweep against South Africa, and three exhibition matches before the PSL raised hopes of a future women's T20 league in the country.
There are plenty to choose from, but the Asia Cup probably edges everything else out. Just as Pakistan's fearsome pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf looked like they were approaching their white-hot ODI best, injury struck. In a game against India, all three bowlers went off with injuries at various stages, with Naseem later picking up a knock that ruled him out for several months. Afridi's pace has never quite recovered, and Pakistan lost that match to India by 228 runs - the heaviest in the history of the rivalry. They would go on to lose to Sri Lanka and end with their worst Asia Cup showing ever.
Netherlands
Having raised the bar last year by qualifying for the 2024 men's T20 World Cup owing to their top-eight finish in the 2022 tournament in Australia, Netherlands' objective for the 2023 ODI World Cup was ambitious: to make the semi-finals. Scott Edwards' team was not indulging in wishful thinking. Their confidence came from two years spent in the ODI Super League, where they played some of the top teams, and while they won just one series in the league, they put up a decent fight against the likes of Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, and even New Zealand.
The wins against South Africa and Bangladesh top the list, but before that came the fairy-tale twin victories against West Indies and Scotland in the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Logan van Beek wrote his name in lights, pulling Netherlands back from the brink in their chase of 375 against West Indies and forcing a tie, and then blasting three sixes and three fours in the Super Over, delivered by Jason Holder. In the must-win match against Scotland, needing 278 to win inside 44 overs, Bas de Leede became only the fourth player to take a five-for and score a century in the same ODI, to get Netherlands to their first 50-over World Cup in over a decade.
Losing the second match of the three-game ODI series in Zimbabwe. Set 271 to win the series - which would have been their first away series win against a Full Member team, Netherlands fell short by one run in an agonising last-ball finish in Harare.
ODIs: P22 W7 L14 T1
Bangladesh
In a year when Bangladesh's men's side floundered spectacularly in the 50-over World Cup, the women's team took big strides. They drew the ODI series against India at home in July, when they tied the third game of a thrilling series. They also made history by beating South Africa in their backyard for the first time in a T20I and an ODI.
The women's side drawing the ODI series against India and the T20I series in South Africa. They also beat Pakistan at home.
The men's team winning two out of nine matches in this year's World Cup.
Zimbabwe
A devastating 12 months saw Zimbabwe's men's team fail to qualify for a 50-over and a T20 World Cup, which has thrown their short-term future into uncertainty. They are not part of the World Test Championship and will not play in a men's ICC event until at least 2026, leaving them with even fewer fixtures than usual.
With very little to choose from, this will feature people and a place, rather than players or an event. Zimbabwe's fans and the famed Castle Corner, filled out venues at international matches, and sang from start to finish for their team and the opposition (mostly Max O'Dowd) alike. The Takashinga Cricket Club, the home of black African cricket in Harare, hosted its first ODIs at the World Cup Qualifiers and showed why it should have many more. The pitches offered a good balance of runs, bounce and turn. The outfield was a picture and the numbers of school children who came to games was enough to know the next generation were inspired.
Houghton called it "awful", "embarrassingly bad", and "one of the worst games I have ever been associated with in a Zimbabwean jersey", and that wasn't even the lowest point. His comments came after Zimbabwe lost to Namibia in the T20 World Cup Qualifier. Three days later, they lost to 23rd-ranked Uganda and their T20 World Cup hopes were all but over. On both occasions, Zimbabwe could only set totals in the 130s and none of their batters got a half-century. Zimbabwe are only the only Full Member country who will not be present at the 20-team event.