The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the branding for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is set to be held in India later this year. The brand aims to celebrate the 12th anniversary of India’s victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup on home soil. The branding uses the nine emotions in the Indian theatre concept of ‘Navarasa’, which has been reimagined to represent the emotions fans experience during a World Cup cricket match. The nine emotions in the CWC23 Navarasa are joy, power, anguish, respect, pride, bravery, glory, wonder, and passion, which the ICC believes perfectly represent the reactions a Men’s Cricket World Cup evokes.
The ICC has also produced and released a vignette to showcase the Navarasa, which is voiced by Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle. The ICC’s digital channels will release a new iconic cricketing moment every week related to the remaining eight emotions in anticipation of the global showpiece later this year.
India captain Rohit Sharma is excited about the tournament and the opportunity to play on home soil. “Playing a World Cup on home soil is every player’s dream, even more so as captain, and I can’t wait for it to start. The Men’s Cricket World Cup is a very special event for everyone involved in cricket, and we will be doing everything over the next few months to prepare as best we can to give us the greatest chance to lift the trophy,” he said.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah is confident about hosting an “incredible” event, saying, “The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and creating a memorable event for fans both in India and around the world. We cannot wait until October to see world-class cricket on show in the pinnacle event of the one-day game and for India to host an incredible spectacle.”
Seven teams have already qualified for the tournament, with the eighth team being the eighth-placed finisher of the Cricket World Cup Super League. The last two spots will be decided by the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in June and July. England is the defending champion after winning the 2019 edition on home soil.
