World Cup - Through the years
Woakes was England’s back-up pacer in the 2015 World Cup squad and managed to pick only five wickets in five matches. After England’s hopes of making to the knockouts ended, an injury forced Woakes to miss his team’s final match of the competition. Post the 2015 debacle, England changed their whole approach to 50-over cricket and Woakes has been an integral member of his side ever since. He has scalped 79 wickets in 50 innings since the last World Cup with an economy rate below 5.5. Despite these numbers, his World Cup berth wasn’t to be taken for granted due to two reasons - Jofra Archer’s threat and his own personal form. Woakes didn’t have a great start in 2019 - picking just four wickets in five balls. However, the Warwickshire seamer proved his mettle in tough bowling conditions by claiming a four-fer and a fifer in his last two appearances against Pakistan - just over a week before the World Cup. The tall all-rounder took that form into the competition proper and formed an ideal foil to the pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. He finished the tournament with 16 wickets and 134 runs with the bat - not bad for someone who wasn't expected to be one of the shining lights of a victorious campaign.



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