Harry Brook makes wild card entry as England announce World Cup 2023 squad

England named their 15-member squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Sunday, September 17 on the expected lines. From the squad that played against New Zealand in the recent 3-1 ODI series win, Jason Roy, the veteran opening batter was the only omission as Harry Brook made a wild card entry into the side. 

Roy, who was one of the main stars of England's white-ball revolution that began in 2015, missed the New Zealand series owing to an injury. It seemed initially that the injury was more of precautionary rather than serious but a decision has been taken to leave out Roy, which means a lottery for Brook, who had made a statement-making 42-ball century in the Hundred after being left out of the provisional squad.

Roy's back spasm means that the 2019 World Cup winner won't be part of the squad. 

The 25-year-old Surrey pacer Gus Atkinson has been retained in the squad



that played the New Zealand series. Atkinson, who has impressed one and all with his pace and accuracy in the Blast and then the Hundred, played three matches in the New Zealand series and will be part of a strong pace attack including Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Reece Topley and David Willey.

England begin their World Cup campaign in the tournament opener on October 5 at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium in a repeat of the 2019 final. Before the World Cup, England do play a three-match ODI series against Ireland but they will be sending their second-string side for that assignment led by Zak Crawley. Brook is the only player in the squad for the Ireland series.

England World Cup 2023 squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.