Five Predictions for the ICC World Cup 2019

Need I give fancy introductions magnifying the intensity and excitement ahead of a 50-over World Cup? A one-stop destination for boys to turn men, greats to turn legends and for little moments to turn into indelible tales. This is a place where men pinch themselves to see if they really are living the dream they had been seeing forever.

Its one trophy connecting millions in a way very few can and no ballyhoo can truly describe its magnitude. Five-time champions Australia might not be the force they once were, the Windies’ presence might not be as unnerving as it once was, the labefaction of the Lankan Lions may have disheartened many, but every facet, good or bad, collides with optimism and adds to the ardor ahead of the tournament.

The upcoming edition promises more sagas of glory, drama and trauma and the fans are already counting the calendar down. As unpredictable as these high-voltage tournaments are, its always fun to lay down some predictions by trusting our instincts.

Here are five predictions which I expect would come true:

5. Australia to reach the semifinals

Might sound funny to many, but what would be funnier is to disregard an Australian side. Despite losing the Test and ODI series to India, there were many occasions they put in great fight and that is something they always do. When that fighting spirit combines with the resurgence of David Warner and Steve Smith, they do look a formidable force.

Many predicaments remained unsolved with wounds of misery intensifying in the last one year – it would be fair to say the whole of Australian cricket fraternity suffered as much as the three culprits in focus did. But to every terrifying dark night there awaits a bright morning and maybe, rays of hope and light are on their way to illuminate them.

For those who have followed Australian cricket closely in the last year can clearly understand the only problem for them has been lack of confidence. Warner and Smith will bring in the abundance of that with them and to deem this side “Not good enough” to reach the knockouts could be counterproductive.

4. Sri Lanka and Windies to slump further

Two sides loved beyond boundaries in the cricketing world – Sri Lanka and Windies are no longer the force they once were. Their future doesn’t look very bright either and there are some serious concerns being raised by fans over their performance in the championship.

Windies struggle in the 50-over format commence almost a decade ago but Sri Lanka had a fairly decent tournament in the previous edition. The departure of some senior cricketers and inability to cope with the transition intricacies led to their downfall and they are heading into the tournament with a horrible record behind them in the last two years.

In case of Australia, there is some optimism attached to their future but things don’t appear quite bright for these two sides. It seems fairly likely that they will finish in the bottom four or maybe worse, bottom two. The world would want this prediction to not come true, but it is difficult to see them get any good result in the tournament.

3. Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler and Virat Kohli hogging all limelight

Indian skipper Virat Kohli, English dynamite Jos Buttler and young sensation Rashid Khan, have been on top of their game in the last 12 months. One very special thing about these players has been their ability to perform in the most difficult of circumstances.

Virat Kohli stormed his way through all the ICC awards and is racing towards some longstanding records set by his godfather Sachin Tendulkar. Rashid Khan has shown time and again that he’s made for big occasions and he won’t get a bigger stage to prove his worth than the World Cup.

Arguably the best finisher in the world right now, Jos Buttler has been one of the pillars of a resurgent English side, who currently is being hailed as one of the favourites to win. It would be least surprising if one of these ends up being the player of the tournament, especially Kohli and Buttler.

2. Afghanistan to defeat one of the “big five” sides

The “Big Five” in this context constitutes of England, India, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia – sides with magnificent limited overs cricketers. There is a hint of vulnerability to all of them and if that cancels out with Afghanistan’s X-factor, this prediction might very well come true.

With the bat and ball, they surely have the strength right now to compete against anyone in the world, as they depicted in the Asia Cup 2018. They have bowlers who can win games and some explosive batsmen who can turn tables in a matter of overs.

Afghanistan don’t need an awful lot of luck to beat a top side, which is a clear indication that they’re almost there in terms of quality. A bit of fortune running their way could definitely script a fairytale for them and surely, the world would thoroughly enjoy it (Apart from the ones at receiving end).

1. India and England to play the final

Arguably the two best sides in the 50-over format right now, India and England definitely stand apart from the rest. Considering recent form and home advantage, England might as well be the favourites to win their first World Cup and a second major since the 2010 ICC World T20.

No team in the world feels the stress of this tournament like the Men in Blue, who will be playing in front of packed houses and a billion other eyes watching them on screens. A diabolic history of almost reaching there but falling short will definitely make them a lot more desperate than they were previously.

India have three or four unbelievably good individual players, who are performing well at will these days. The English, on the other side, have a fairly balanced setup and boast of great bench strength. As it stands, it wouldn’t be unfair to say these two sides are the two most deserving ones to fight for the grandiose prize.

Disclaimer: These are purely author’s opinions and the views might differ according to the individual.

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