The Cricket World Cup is a demanding tournament. This tournament is spread across a month and a half, with each team playing 9 matches in the group stage. The stress and the rigorous physical activity during these matches can take a toll on their bodies and consequently, their performance. That is why cricketers need to be on a strict fitness routine before and during the tournament. And diet is instrumental to a cricketer’s fitness regime.

Many people wonder what cricketers eat before these intense matches, the type of diet that doesn’t allow their energy levels to falter during the course of a high-octane match.  

You also have to note that it’s not just the diet on the match days, but also during the days when they practise that matters. After all good preparation is the key to winning matches, a part of which is a good diet.

Here is a Look at the Diet Regime of a Cricketer

Practice Session Diet

Cricketers spend more time training than actually playing the matches. They might even have to be in several practise sessions every day. These sessions can be gruelling and drain a cricketer’s energy. That is a cause of worry because exhausted players cannot win matches and are prone to picking up injuries. That is why a very specific diet is formulated for the practice sessions.

The factors that are taken into consideration while devising individual diet plans for every cricketer are:

• The fielding position of the player.
• The intensity and duration of the session.
• The weight, body size, BMI and age of the player.

Before a session, every cricketer consumes a nutrient-rich and high-energy meal that will sustain the player for quite a few hours. Processed foods are strictly avoided.

A pre-training diet consists of whole-grain snacks, fruits, boiled vegetables, protein bars, lean proteins, healthy biscuits and dairy products. But on days when training will be very intense, cricketers also eat muesli bars and yoghurt.

As for fluids, the temperature and weather conditions, as well as the duration of the training session determine how much liquid a player needs to drink. Fluid loss interferes with the accuracy of bowling and fielding. So before and during the practice session, players consume energy drinks, water and non-sweetened fruit juices to stay hydrated.

Post-training session diet is just as strict. A cricketer can’t deviate from his diet plan because recovery hinges on what he eats afterward. This diet is very particular to mend and repair muscles and replenish the fluids lost during the practice session. So a cricketer consumes plenty of proteins and electrolytes.

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Here are some food items that feature in a post-training meal:

• Whole grain and lean meat sandwiches.
• Lean meat whole wheat burgers.
• Greek yoghurt with berries.
• Whole grain noodles with stir-fried vegetables and chicken.
• Energy Gels

Cricketers are usually discouraged from drinking alcohol because it messes up their metabolism and adversely affects their health.

In my opinion, good nutrition is quite essential in enhancing a sports performance. Sportsmen should follow specially designed diets that will meet their nutritional requirements and support their muscle growth and repair. Their diet should be rich in unrefined carbohydrates like wholegrain bread, proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD

Diet Before the World Cup Match

The diet on a matchday is very similar to the diet they stick to during training. How well a cricketer performs depends largely on what he consumes right before the match because food is the fuel that will keep him going.

A pre-match meal will be something like this:

• High on carbohydrates but low on calories.
• Oatmeal, cereals (whole grain) with milk and fruits.
• Whole wheat stir-fried pasta.
• Fluids and electrolytes.

A cricketer’s life is bound by dietary strictures during the cricket world cup. This is to ensure that they remain in peak health throughout the tournament.   

Any well-balanced diet won’t be complete without proper hydration. Water plays an essential role in enhancing athletic performance. All sportsmen including cricketers should not rely on thirst to drink water. In my opinion, drinking water every hour during practice sessions or actual matches might be quite beneficial in reducing the chances of dehydration.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Importance of Diet and Fitness for Cricketers

The physical fitness required for cricketers during, after and even during their career cannot be underlined. Cricketers nowadays have an extensive training program along with a rigorous diet that they are required to follow. Cricketers have hired personal trainers and nutritionists who help them and guide them to get a physically fit, toned and healthy body to perform well on the field.

In order to keep fit, diet plays an extremely important role. A bad diet can hamper the growth and improvement of players on the field of playing in the World Cup. A good diet along with a well-regulated fitness regime can ensure the players are ready for the rigours of international cricket.

For decades now, cricketers have been giving a lot more importance to the food they consume in order to keep themselves fit. Cricketers require a good diet that includes a high amount of protein and fibre. According to the interviews of some of the international cricketers, a good diet is known to provide fuel to the body. Not picking a good diet will hamper the performance of the players on the field. If the carbohydrates and proteins are reduced, cricketers will feel lethargic and could end up with cramps. They are recommended to have a rich carbohydrate diet, followed by protein and a very little amount of fat. 

Hence, most cricketers, especially young players up against a team for the first time in the World Cup, should focus on their diet and fitness. If they do not match, it will result in weight gain and their performances will dip.

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.