World Cup favourites
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CWC 2019: No clear favourites for coveted trophy

Mustafa Ismail·
One Day International (ODI)
·0 Comments·

The 2019 edition of the Cricket World Cup has been generating plenty of hype in recent months, but who are the favourites for the trophy?

England, based on their recent exploits and their home status, have been touted as World Cup favourites. However, given the way things are progressing, it could be any team’s trophy. Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen Afghanistan tie a game with India – while beating Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. We also witnessed Bangladesh beat Pakistan (Champions Trophy winners) in the same tournament. England had beaten India last summer but went on to lose a couple of games against the West Indies in the winter. Keeping in line with this tumultuous trend, India beat New Zealand and Australia down under but ended up losing to Australia at home.

The contenders

Overall, all the teams competing for the trophy have had a mixed bag in terms of results. This supports the notion that the competition is wide open and every single team has a chance to win it. England have been tipped as World Cup favourites because of their fiery brand of cricket, which includes the best batting line-up in the world. With someone like Jofra Archer, they also have an X factor in the bowling department. Even so, their bowling in the middle overs is a slight worry as they lack wicket-takers beyond Archer.

New Zealand aren’t talked about much but with Williamson leading a well-oiled unit, this team has the potential to go all the way. Kiwi sides have always punched above their weight so they have every chance of creeping into the semis and testing their luck from there. Similarly, Afghanistan don’t possess loads of experience but they’re no slouches in terms of ability. In Rashid Khan, they have the best spinner in the world – and he’s accompanied by some explosive batsmen at the top of the order in Mohammad Shehzad and Hazratullah Zazai. While the South Asian side may not go far as New Zealand, they definitely have a few surprises in them.

West Indies have some of the hardest hitters in the world, with the likes of Andre Russell and Chris Gayle capable of winning matches on their own. The Caribbean side will need to be more consistent with the ball and they’ll miss Sunil Narine’s presence, but their batting line-up has a marvellous blend of youth and experience. On their day, they can smash any bowling attack out of the park.

India are always fancied going into an ICC tournament. However, this is probably the first time their bowling attack looks stronger than their batting. There’s been a huge dilemma concerning the number four spot – but after their last warm-up game, it seems that KL Rahul has made that position his own. The key for India will be their leg spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who’ve been sensational over the last two years. Jasprit Bumrah will also play a huge role as his antics with the new ball and at the death offer India a new dimension. Virat Kohli will undoubtedly be at the forefront of their campaign, both as a batsman and captain, and he has MS Dhoni by his side to guide him through tense situations.

Even though they’ve had a horrendous couple of years since their Champions Trophy triumph, Pakistan can never be counted out. They somehow bring their A game when the world is watching and that’s precisely what they need to do this time around. The squad possesses extremely talented bowlers but they’ll need to adapt to flat wickets as well, something they’ve struggled with as of late. Babar Azam will hold the fort with the bat but he needs the batsmen around him to build partnerships and accelerate when required.

South Africa are going into the tournament without too many expectations, and that might do them a world of good. They don’t have AB de Villiers but the likes of Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, and Quentin de Kock bring talent and experience to the table. Their bowling line-up, if fully fit, has the potential to be absolutely lethal with Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, and Lungi Ngidi steaming in and Imran Tahir pegging away during the middle overs.

After being surrounded by controversy over the last couple of years, Australia are back to focusing on their cricket. With David Warner and Steve Smith making their return, Australia have regained some impetus. Quite a few of these players have also won the World Cup before, which provides an extra edge. Their mental toughness will be crucial and if they hit the right notes early on in the tournament, they could go on to lift the trophy. Not many would’ve said this a year ago, but Australia look like serious contenders.

Bangladesh have played some excellent cricket over the last four years, qualifying for the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup and then shocking a few big teams to reach the Champions Trophy semi-final in 2017. Their batting is solid with Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim leading the way. They have a decent fast bowling core as well with their captain, Mashrafe Mortaza, leading the attack. However, the lack of quality spinners could prove costly.

Ever since Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene retired, Sri Lanka have suffered. There have been issues between the board and the players, which has hindered their ability to find the right combination against world-class teams. They probably won’t make it far again this year but they do have the talent to cause a few upsets, similar to how they beat India in the 2017 Champions Trophy. They’re ultimately missing players who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck. That being said, if Sri Lanka play well as a team they’ll produce some positive results – even if they won’t be among the World Cup favourites.

So there you have it – a quick look into the ten teams competing for the grandest prize in the cricketing world. Be prepared for some big sixes, wickets, and nail-biting finishes!