World Cup 2019: Mark Waugh believes the 500-run mark will be breached during the tournament

Cricket has evolved over the years and from an era where scores of around 250 in an ODI were deemed to be match-winning, it has come to a point where even 350 is not safe enough. With the pitches getting flat and with two new balls coupled with small grounds, the game has become batting dominated in order to entertain the spectators. The same will happen in the upcoming World Cup in England and Mark Waugh believes that the unbelievable 500-run mark will be breached at some point during the tournament.

England is the team which was the closest to achieve the unthinkable last year against their arch-rivals Australia at the Trent Bridge. They have been posting some monstrous totals ever since revamping their ODI team and currently hold the record of the highest total in ODI cricket. The Eoin Morgan-led side smashed 481 runs against Australia last year and one felt they missed the chance on that occasion.

Bowlers will get some pasting

Mark Waugh, however, is of the opinion that the record will be broken in the World Cup this year by one of the teams against one of the weaker teams. He also went on to say that the bowlers will be at the receiving end a lot this time at the mega event.

“It sounds unbelievable, you just don’t think you could get 500 but I think you could, yeah. I think one of the better teams against one of the weaker teams it might happen. The bowlers are going to cop some pasting I think,” he said while speaking to cricket.com.au at an event.

The hosts of the World Cup, England, are the one who could realistically even think of scoring more than 500 runs in 50 overs as they consistently rack up big scores and have got used to it. In the recently concluded ODI series against Pakistan, they posted whopping totals which read, 373/3, 359/4, 341/7 and 351/9, which makes it clear that they have the firepower.

It will be interesting to see what actually transpires at the quadrennial event which is set to get underway on May 30 with the game between England and South Africa.

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