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.
Tom Moody makes a prediction
The Sunrisers Hyderabad coach termed India as the favourites of the show piece event. The 53-year-old further gave weightage to hosts England.
“The standouts are India and England. They are absolute certainties to be in the top four. What is exciting about this World Cup is a number of sides can easily find themselves in third and fourth positions. Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and West Indies — I don’t think people thought of them 12 months ago. Windies are a serious threat, particularly if someone like Sunil Narine comes back into the equation,” Moody was quoted as saying by Hindustan times.
On an unexpected term, Moody feels that Afghanistan are the dark horses in the tournament. He was the first one to realize the potential of Afghani cricketers like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi and included them into the team in 2017.
The Afghan team possess some world class spinners in Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman with Mohammad Nabi being the part time spinner. Experienced batsmen like Mohammad Shahzad and Asghar Stanikzai can turn the complexion of the game on their very own.
