Why the 2019 World Cup teases to be a mouthwatering prospect
World Cup 2019. The ultimate destination for all participating teams. Irrespective of their ICC rankings going into the tournament, winning the cup is all that matters at the end of it. With less than half a year left for the prestigious event, all teams have their guns trained on it, waiting to come out all guns blazing once the event starts.
Each team has its own dynamic and emotions that drive them going into the World Cup. That's the beauty of the event, as teams with varied driving forces compete to lay hands on the coveted trophy.
India, England, South Africa, Australia, Pakistan, and New Zealand are known formidable teams, expected to perform well anyway, while the 'underdogs' Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Windies pack a punch too, striving to spring up surprises and make the world take notice.
India will go into the World Cup as favorites, irrespective of the outcome of the series against New Zealand and Australia before it. With the batting order fairly settled, Rayudu most likely sealing the troublesome number 4 slot, the remaining matches offer a chance to experiment with their bowling. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are certainties, while Khaleel Ahmed is making a strong claim for the third seamer's role. Ravindra Jadeja is back into the reckoning as well, leaving Yuzvendra Chahal's place in the side in the doldrums. A fit Hardik Pandya will be expected to perfectly balance the side. The World Cup is a dream for any cricketer, and India would be keen to give a perfect send-off to MS Dhoni in what is widely being tipped to be his swansong.
England, on the other hand, have been on a tremendous run of late in ODIs. Having never won an ODI World Cup, it's a golden opportunity for captain Morgan's boys to 'bring the cup home'. Their explosive line-up, well supported by the wise heads of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, is a scary sight for any bowling team. With enviable depth in the batting department, England are blessed with a plethora of all-rounders to balance their squad. They will look to put their previous performance in 2015 aside and will come out all guns blazing on home turf.
An ABD-less Proteas outfit go into the tournament with a lot of senior players like Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn and JP Duminy, possibly playing their final World Cups. As such their tournament would be full of emotion, while they would be keen to get rid of their 'chokers' tag too.
A consistent New Zealand always asks questions, whereas a young Pakistani side will once again look to turn heads after their Champions Trophy victory in 2017. A scarred Australian side will look to put all their troubles aside and win the public's hearts back.
The lesser fancied team are no-less, with Afghanistan and Bangladesh capable of causing upsets, while for Windies and Sri Lanka, it is a matter of their players turning up on the day of the match.
Just a few months left, the World Cup is the talk of the town, So much so that it seems set to shadow the festival that is the IPL. With such varying dynamics of the participating teams, the World Cup promises to live up to the billing.