ICC Cricket World Cup Prediction : The Sportsrush analyze every Cricket team and their possible chance to win the 2019 ICC World Cup
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To win a World Cup in any sport is the ultimate dream. It’s even more important if it’s the first win and on home soil. That is what lies ahead for England in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, but over the next month and a half, there are going to be many challenges to overcome before Eoin Morgan can finally lift the World Cup trophy.
England are worthy favourites
It’s a rarity that England are the favourites to win a World Cup, but that’s the case here. They are 2/1 with most betting companies to win their first Cricket World Cup. Home advantage will help, and though it’ll also create plenty of pressure, they are worthy favourites. Even those English people who don’t normally follow cricket, who will no doubt be confused by the games quirky terms and expressions, will be watching on television and supporting their country.
Why can England win the Cricket World Cup ?
England top the one-day international world rankings and possess a squad that has matchwinners wherever you look. Their batting line-up is the best in the tournament with a tail most countries can only dream of.
The recent 4-0 win over Pakistan saw Jason Roy and Johnny Bairstow regularly getting them off to a frantic start. The early batting collapses that are commonplace in the test team aren’t regular occurrences in this version of the game. If the openers do fail, the likes of Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and the awesome big-hitting Jos Buttler regularly propel England past the 350 mark.
England Bowling
England already had an impressive bowling roster but last month saw that go to another level. West-Indian born Jofra Archer is now qualified to play for them and has already made an impact. He can bowl at 90mph and adds another string to England’s already-talented bow. Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, along with spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid can all produce performances that can win matches for their side.
Resurgent Australians for Cricket World Cup 2019
There are plenty of teams that can win this tournament. Australia can never be discounted and have won before. They have slipped to fifth in the world rankings and have had a difficult time since the sandpaper scandal
Steve Smith and David Warner are back in the fold after serving their bans. They know that crowds will give them a rough time and how they react to the abuse is going to be important for Australia. With the Ashes series following this World Cup, Australia have returned to top form with series wins over India and Pakistan and are a side to fear again as they bid to retain their trophy.
Generally priced around 7/2, they have heavy hitting batsmen such as Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Glenn Maxell in addition to Smith and Warner. Throw in the pace of Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins plus the spin of Nathan Lyons and the Australians can make it to at least the semi-finals
Indian Cricket Team will make a Strong Challenge
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You can never rule out India when it comes to any one-day tournament. How can you when they have the magnificent batting talent of Virat Kohli and the bowling genius that is Jasprit Bumrah? A semi-final place at least looks nailed on for them, and they are second favourites at 3/1.
Why West Indies can win Cricket World Cup 2019
The first two World Cups were both won by the West Indies. It’s 40 years since their last victory, and that wait is likely to be extended this summer. This is the final one-day international series for Chris Gayle, and he’s likely to go out with a bang. He was outstanding in the recent games against England and is joined by a youthful and talented side. They won’t win this tournament but can cause some upsets over the next few weeks.
New Zealand can’t be ruled out
The Kiwis have reached six semi-finals and were the losing finalists in 2015. If the ball is swinging, then Tim Southee could cause havoc. Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Colin Munro and Kane Williamson are batsmen that can punish any attack in the world. Another semi-final is within their reach.
Pakistan and South Africa will cause problems
This truly is a tournament full of talented teams. Both Pakistan and South Africa can beat anyone on their day. Pakistan won the Champions Trophy two years ago but didn’t excel in the recent series against England. South Africa are still waiting to reach their first final but win more than they lose. Sri Lanka are previous winners, but their current form is uninspiring. The same can be said of Afghanistan, but they do have a bowling line-up that could cause the top teams some problems in this tournament.
Conclusion
It may be a one-day tournament, but this is a one-and-a-half-month marathon. There are several teams capable of winning the World Cup, but the ten-team league format will ensure the cream rises to the top. England are worthy favourites but must fear India and Australia.
