The build to the upcoming cricket world cup has allready started with all the 10 participating teams making sure that they get the right combination before the start of the marquee event. The world cup will get underway from May 30 and will continue till July 14.
England are the firm favourites to lift the trophy, however some experts claim India to be a force to reckon with alongside Pakistan, who will be high in confidence after triumph in 2017 champions trophy in English conditions.
England disappointed in the 2011 and 2015 edition of the world cup where they were eliminated from the group stage owing to defeats against the minnows. The selectors and team management entrusted the young guns to the job after the 2015 world cup and results started reflecting thereafter. The Three Lions are now the top ranked ODI team followed by India at number two.
The men in blue have played consistent cricket from the 2015 world cup and this can be understood by the fact that they have won the most games in ODI cricket since 2015.
In the upcoming edition, all the participating teams will play other nine teams which is called the round robin format. This gives an equal opportunity to every participating team to be in the top four despite 1-2 bad games. This format was last followed in 1992 world cup where Imran Khan’s Pakistan emerged victorious.
Jason Gillespie makes a prediction
The 43-year-old former pacer backed the home favourites- England to finally come out all guns blazing and win their maiden world cup.
“There’s been a lot of talk of England being favourites and playing at home and I certainly think they deserve that tag. They’ve played some wonderful 50-over cricket. They’ve been really innovative and shown a lot of aggression with bat and ball, they’ve been really dynamic in the field,” he told ESPNCricinfo.
The Sydney born further backed Australia to be the other favourite after the men in yellow won eight ODI games on a trot after beating India and Pakistan in their own yard.
“Every other team in this World Cup knows that Australia know how to win World Cups. That is something that will be in every other country’s mind, that Australia – while they might not be seen as favourites – they know how to win World Cups. So for me, I think Australia are very much a dark horse and I wouldn’t write them off, that’s for sure,” Gillespie added.
He further wished to see Australia taking on England in the world cup finals at the home of cricket- Lord’s cricket stadium.
