2019 Cricket World Cup: England to start favourites but India, Australia, New Zealand right in hunt
Australia may have won three of the last four versions but this year’s World Cup in England will prove a real test of their resolve. SAM LANDSBERGER runs the rule over each team’s chances.
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Australia may have won three of the last four versions but this year’s World Cup in England will prove a real test of their resolve.
Sam Landsberger runs the rule over each team’s chances.
AUSTRALIA
Why it can win: Stacked with World Cup-winning know-how (assistants Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin plus six players from 2015) and genuine pace threats. Pat Cummins has 17 wickets from his past five ODIs, striking every 15th delivery on average. But there’s a far greater spin focus and Adam Zampa’s ability to control the game in the middle will be the key.
The weak spot: Australia lost 22 out of 26 ODIs before its current eight-match winning run and so, while England has been building for four years, Australia has been building for five minutes. Losing Jhye Richardson — who knocked over Virat Kohli four times in six games — means the pace battery is short one heavy-duty bowler. Rookie wickerkeeper Alex Carey has just one 50 from 38 white-ball games for Australia.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Glenn Maxwell boasted a strike-rate of 182 at the 2015 World Cup and sacrificed $2 million by skipping last month’s IPL so he could play in England on World Cup pitches (he jagged 5-40 at Lord’s in a first-class game). The crowd-pleaser makes bowlers squirm when he manipulates their fields.
Final word: A force field surrounds Australia at World Cups. The Aussies are 39-3 from their past 42 completed matches and have lifted four of the past five trophies. Steve Smith looks primed while the strong mail is David Warner — whose wife, Candice, plans to give birth after the New Zealand game — will replace Usman Khawaja as opener.
PREDICTION: 3rd
ENGLAND
Why it can win: Since the last World Cup it has passed 300 runs in 40 games and cracked 400 four times. England’s high-octane brand has revolutionised the 50-over format. It’s a line-up packed with hitters and stacked with depth — No.10 Adil Rashid has 10 first-class tons.
The weak spot: It’s bowlers can be as costly as Israel Folau on Instagram, particularly the seamers. Jofra Archer’s effortless pace adds serious X-Factor but even he is unproven at this level (three ODI wickets). Star spinner Rashid’s sore shoulder is such a concern that selectors brought Liam Dawson into the squad as cover while skipper Eoin Morgan broke his left index finger on Friday. Will struggle to bowl teams out.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Jos Buttler. This bloke could come in at the 40th over and thump 100 off 40 balls. Buttler owns five of England’s 10 fastest centuries and is the World Cup’s new AB de Villiers. Some talk he could bat at No.3 after an early wicket to hammer in the powerplay, saving anchor man Joe Root for the middle.
Final word: Under more pressure than Aaron Sandilands’ thongs after six World Cups without a semi-final. While its batting gears are unrivalled, life in the fast lane comes with the risk of a fatal crash. Imagine England pounding scores of 400-plus only to find itself 6-50 in a semi-final?
PREDICTION: Champions
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INDIA
Why it can win: The top three — Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli — might be the best of all time, given Sharma and Kohli are ODI kings and Dhawan, a rare left-hander in this line-up, dominates ICC tournaments. India’s fast bowling brigade is its deadliest ever. Sachin Tendulkar declared Jasprit Bumrah the best bowler on the planet.
The weak spot: It’s been musical chairs in the middle-order for some time while star spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowls too slowly and went so cold in the IPL (four wickets in nine games) he was dropped. Vijay Shankar likely to bat No.4 but India is brittle in the middle. Even the great MS Dhoni can eat up too many dots.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Virat Kohli. The passionate captain scored 995 runs in a 10-game ODI burst last year. Could Kohli plunder close to 1000 on flat English pitches at small grounds? Against the weak attacks the energetic leader is the man most likely to smash a double ton.
Final word: The non-selection of dynamic batsman and Test ’keeper Rishabh Pant means freakish talent Hardik Pandya must play the finishing role. If India can navigate its tough start — South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan — it’s a semi-final certainty.
PREDICTION: Runner-up
PAKISTAN
Why it can win: Scored 340-plus in three out of four ODIs in England this month. No.3 Babar Azam is Pakistan’s Virat Kohli. He finished the English series with scores of 115 and 80, while openers Imam-ul-Haq (151 at Bristol) and Fakhar Zaman (138 at Southampton) also went big.
The weak spot: Coach Mickey Arthur’s No.1 problem is Pakistan’s sloppy fielding. Wahab Riaz, 33, hasn’t played for Pakistan for two years but could open the bowling after his shock selection. Teenage quicks Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain, who can be erratic like Shaun Tait, are raw but fast.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Asif Ali. Lower-order hitter who smacks sixes for fun.
Tragically lost his two-year-old daughter to cancer last Sunday.
Final word: Enter having lost 10 ODIs in a row, Pakistan’s worst streak since 1987-88, yet plenty of wise cricket heads suggest they are the dark horse. Plenty rests on Babar Azam’s bat.
PREDICTION: 4th
NEW ZEALAND
Why it can win: A well-rounded attack — a finger spinner (Mitch Santner), wrist spinner (Ish Sodhi), left-armer (Trent Boult) and three right-armers (Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tim Southee) — but will conditions suit Max Gawn’s Black Caps? They’d love a green top.
The weak spot: Not as powerful as the 2015 Kiwis that reached the final at the MCG. Colin Munroe strikes at 110 as an opener but he is no Brendan McCullum, while the batting is very frontloaded with Kane Williamson at No.3. The top-order batting looks steady, not explosive.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Trent Boult. He’s taken more powerplay wickets than anyone else in the world in the past few years. Can Boult be New Zealand’s Mitchell Starc of 2015?
Final word: An old-fashioned team that always punches above its weight. Everyone has to pull in the same direction for the Kiwis to cause trouble … and they usually do. The World Cup smoky.
PREDICTION: 5th
SOUTH AFRICA
Why it can win: Lethal attack — quicks Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dale Steyn, Andile Phehlukwayo and Chris Morris rounded out by Imran Tahir, one of the best leggies in the world — will skittle sides.
The weak spot: How do you replace AB de Villiers? They tried with Heinrich Klaasen, but he missed the squad. Can Quinton de Kock do it? He has gears that Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram lack.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Kagiso Rabada. Entering his first World Cup fresh from one of the best IPLs of all time (25 wickets in 12 games). The son of a doctor and a lawyer is an aggressive tearaway who batsman fear.
Final word: A Test match batting line-up which lacks murderous intent. But fielding a proper attack means it shouldn’t concede mammoth scores. It’s too strong to lose to the stragglers.
PREDICTION: 6th
WEST INDIES
Why it can win: The batting is scary and Chris Gayle — in his fifth and final World Cup — wound back the clock with 135 (off 129 balls) and 162 (97) against England in the Caribbean in February. Opener Evin Lewis could be the next big thing while Shai Hope’s average of 51 illustrates a serious talent.
The weak spot: They have invested for 12 months in spin yet the West Indies’ options are still poor. Off-spinner Ashley Nurse is one of the game’s worst fielders while Fabian Allen (0-68) was spanked by Australia in last week’s practice match.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Andre Russell — or “Russel” as his shirt mistakenly read against Australia last week — holds the best strike-rate on the planet and bowls at frightening pace. Russell’s IPL stats read like a Stick Cricket game — 510 runs off 249 balls.
Final word: When it clicks the Windies can post 400 but they lack bite with the ball. Likely to be on back foot after games against Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and England to start.
PREDICTION: 7th
AFGHANISTAN
Why it can win: Spin kings Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi gives them access to 30 overs of elite turn. Mujeeb bowls in the first 10 overs while the other two weave their magic through the middle.
The weak spot: Big ’keeper Mohammad Shahzad gives it a tonk but the rest of the batting lacks punch, although Nabi showed at the Renegades he can ice tricky chases. At a gung-ho tournament it is hard to see the Afghans regularly posting 300.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Rashid Khan. The Adelaide Strikers’ mystery spinner bowls fast through the air and is harder to pick than Melbourne’s weather. Khan’s 125 ODI wickets since the 2015 World Cup ranks No.2 in the world, behind England’s Adil Rashid.
Final word: A danger game awaits Australia first up given Afghanistan is capable of bowling teams out. But it lacks the weapons to win more than 3-4 games.
PREDICTION: 8th
BANGLADESH
Why it can win: Experienced middle-order. Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan have combined for 578 ODIs and know how to pace a successful run chase.
The weak spot: Tamim Iqbal hits a clean ball but the batting lacks dynamite. Overall Bangladesh is vanilla — unlikely to ever make 320 or take 10 wickets without a quality wrist spinner.
Don’t go making a cuppa: Shakib Al Hasan. Cheeky all-rounder was promoted to No.3 in the recent tri-series in Ireland and wants to stay there for the World Cup. Former Test captain could fly home with a century and 10 wickets.
Final word: The Tigers have won nine ODI series since the last World Cup and they beat Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka en route to last year’s Asia Cup Final, where they lost to India on the last ball. A canny line-up that will push teams in their preferred format.
PREDICTION: 9th
SRI LANKA
Why it can win: They can’t. But Kusal Mendis is the most likely batsman to ton up and he, along with Thisara Perera, is one of Sri Lanka’s few game-breakers.
The weak spot: Captain Dimuth Karunaratne is regarded by some as too slow for Test cricket, and yet he’s set to open in the most explosive tournament ever. DK’s last ODI before World Cup selection was in 2015. Think Australia picking Matt Renshaw out of nowhere. Why didn’t they select fast scorer Niroshan Dickwella?
Don’t go making a cuppa: Thisara Perera. One of the fastest scorers in the world with his career strike-rate of 112.3 ranking No.10 in ODI history.
Final word: Legendary players like Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardena, Tillakaratne Dilshan have not been adequately replaced while the team still relies on 35-year-old Lasith Malinga, who — despite his final-over heroics in the IPL final — has looked in better shape.
PREDICTION: Last (winless)
Originally published as 2019 Cricket World Cup: England to start favourites but India, Australia, New Zealand right in hunt
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