Inspired by Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli; ICC Unveil Mascots for 2023 ICC ODI World Cup | WATCH

The highly anticipated ODI World Cup is set to begin on October 5, 2023. With this, the ICC officially announced the mascots for the World Cup.

The mascots for the event were unveiled in Gurugram with the presence of the two U-19 World Cup-winning captains, Yash Dhull and Shafali Verma.

The mascots will be a male and female duo which originates from the fictional cricketing utopia called ‘Crictoverse’. It also represents unique features and also symbolises both gender equality and gender diversity.

The male mascot is primarily blue in colour which indicates his sub-zero coolness as well as his fiery batting ability. He has the ability to electrify audiences with his various shots using his electromagnetic bat. The design is inspired by the likes of Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler.

The female mascot has turbo-powered arms which fire balls at a lightning-fast pace. She also has a utility belt which contains various balls indicating the different variations the bowler has in her arsenal. The mascot was inspired by Jasprit Bumrah as well as Elyse Perry.

ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley spoke on the unveiling of the mascots, he said, “We are delighted to launch the ICC’s mascot duo ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The perpetual characters signify cricket’s universal appeal beyond cultures and boundaries with the mascots standing as beacons of unity and passion. With representation of both genders, they epitomize the vital role of gender equality in our dynamic world.”

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During the development phase of the mascot’s design, fans were involved through various surveys in order to have a say on how the design would look like. And the process is set to continue as the mascots are still unnamed and will be up to the fans to decide on the name through a voting process.

During the lead-up and the tournament, the mascot duo will engage with fans in person, through broadcasts, and on digital platforms. Fans will be able to purchase various Crictoverse products which include mascot-themed merchandise such as sunglasses, available for sale both online and at venues.