Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

5 Cricket World Cup 2019 Predictions. 5 big predictions for Cricket World Cup 2019

It’s official. We are less than a week out from the biggest event on the cricket calendar – the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

The 2019 edition does leave a little bit of a bad taste given that only 10 teams are competing for a “World” trophy. The need for global growth and competition is important in cricket, and this decision by the ICC doesn’t support that.

Nonetheless, despite the long-term impact of a 10-team tournament, it promises to be a very competitive one. Each team plays each other once, with the top four progressing through to the Semi Finals. The positive is that unlike previous tournaments, every game will count for plenty, which will make for intriguing viewing.

What will also be intriguing to see is the kind of scores made in this tournament. England very recently became the first team in ODI history to make four consecutive 340+ scores en route to a 4-0 series win over Pakistan. Conditions in England ODIs have heavily favoured batsmen in the last few years, so will it be the best batting or bowling lineups that shine most and last? Will we see big scores earlier in the tournament, and then less so as pitches perhaps begin to slow down a little and the pressure rises? Can England, tournament favourites, finally crack the World Cup code, lifting the trophy for the first time? Or can Australia successfully defend their crown?

Plenty is at stake and anything can happen. In this article, I will make five big predictions for the tournament:

1. Leading run-scorer
2. Leading wicket-taker
3. Bottom placed team
4. Final four
5. Winner

Leave a comment as to whether you agree or disagree with any (or all) of the predictions!

Also read: Five players to watch out for in the 2019 Cricket World Cup!

CWC 2019 Prediction 1: Leading run-scorer

Jonny Bairstow (England)

Expect to see plenty of big scores in this tournament. This is especially the case as two balls and flat pitches will be on show, with the ball to come onto the bat nicely particularly in the first half of the tournament (provided the weather holds)!

So, despite some magnificent players batting at three and lower such as Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Joe Root, Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis and Kane Williamson, I think an opener will get the most runs. Jonny Bairstow and David Warner were in outstanding form for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the recently concluded IPL, and I think one of these two or Virat Kohli (if not an opener) will get it. With England at home, and this man very familiar with conditions, I think Jonny Bairstow will be the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Keep an eye out also for the likes of Rohit Sharma, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle, Imam-ul-Haq and Quinton de Kock.

CWC 2019 Prediction 2: Leading wicket-taker

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

There is plenty of talk of the big scores that will be on show in this World Cup. However, there are a number of world class bowlers on show too, and they will be crucial to their team’s chances.

Think Jasprit Bumrah and the two wristspinners for India. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins for Australia. Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi for South Africa. Jofra Archer, England’s new hope. Trent Boult and Tim Southee for New Zealand. There are other bowlers that hold significant hope for their nations – such as Rashid Khan for Afghanistan, Mustafizur Rahman for Bangladesh, Lasith Malinga for Sri Lanka, Hasan Ali for Pakistan and Jason Holder for West Indies.

So, who will it be?

I think spin will play a key role, but a seamer will get the most wickets. Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada are my front-runners, given that they are particularly outstanding in the death overs. Starc and Rabada are outstanding in this format, but Jasprit Bumrah is just something else at the moment. His prowess at all stages of the innings will hold both he and India in good stead.

Also read: See how my 5 big IPL 2019 Predictions turned out!

CWC 2019 Prediction 3: Bottom-placed team

Sri Lanka

This a tough prediction to make as it promises to be a very competitive tournament.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are three teams that are most likely to be fighting it out to avoid bottom place. Each side possesses talent, but the fact that all teams play nine games means consistency is of the essence and these sides might struggle to make a sustained run to the Semi Finals.

However, Sri Lanka is my pick for bottom place. Afghanistan’s batting will be a worry throughout the tournament, especially with their lack of experience in English conditions. Another concern is that they have changed their captain so close to the tournament. However, their bowling attack, which includes Rashid Khan, can worry teams. Bangladesh have enough experience to pick up enough positive results on the way, following on from their successful Ireland Tri-Series campaign.

So, can Sri Lanka surprise? Or will it more of what’s been a tough few years? They have won just 12 of their last 52 completed ODIs, struggling to put together complete performances. With a new captain (Dimuth Karunaratne) again at the helm, who himself recently played his first ODI since 2015, Sri Lanka are in a stage of uncertainty. The lack of consistent game-breakers means they will have a tough tournament. Can they prove many doubters wrong?

CWC 2019 Prediction 4: The Final Four

One that has had me scratching my head for the entirety of 2019 so far. In a tournament like this, where finals spots are limited, who will go through? Consistency of performance will be crucial as each team plays nine games, so while there is room for error unlike the 2007 World Cup, teams will still have to be very much on their game right the way through.

Below are my Semi-Finalists for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, in no particular order:

England: The best ODI side in the world, strengthened by the inclusion of Jofra Archer. England have had a superb four years in ODI Cricket since their awful 2015 campaign, springing them into World Cup favouritism. Their batting lineup is outstanding, and they will be a team who will score quite a few big totals en route to victories. You would be very brave to leave out a side that has Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan and co.

India: You would also be very brave to leave out India. Virat Kohli’s men have enjoyed success in different formats away from home in the past few years, and they have the resources and quality to do so again. Their top three of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can set the tone for the likes of MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya to fire, with their bowling attack one of the finest on show in this tournament. Any team with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will be hard to beat.

Australia: The Aussies have burst into contention after a very lean couple of years in ODIs. 2018 was known mainly for the Cape Town fiasco, but Australia also had the worst win-loss ratio of any ODI side, which included a 5-0 loss in their visit to England. However, the team is flying with confidence now after eight straight wins, and welcome back David Warner and Steve Smith. Australia will make the top four as they possess a fine attack to go with a well-balanced batting side.

South Africa: The fourth and final pick is the most difficult. Of course, this is assuming the other three sides mentioned make the Semi Finals, which as you know, might not happen as cricket is a game of surprises.

• Pakistan is a side that can absolutely not be written off in World Cups. However, the nine-game factor might just be too much for them as they are still fighting for consistency. If it was a shorter group stage, then Pakistan would have to be picked to progress.
• West Indies are in contention, too, but a similar situation to Pakistan applies. So, it could very well be South Africa and New Zealand battling it out.
• Bangladesh can never be counted out either. However, they might lack the bowling firepower needed at crucial stages.

My pick is South Africa, just. The concern I have with South Africa is their reliance on Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock with the bat. These two have scored 40% of South Africa’s ODI runs in 2019, and if both don’t fire, do Hashim Amla and South Africa’s middle order have what it takes to stand up? However, their bowling attack is outstanding, and can help them win enough games to qualify.

Areas of slight concern with New Zealand is their spin attack and consistent power hitting. With Mitchell Santner still finding his best form after injury and Ish Sodhi inconsistent, these two have to perform at high levels consistently. The same applies to the likes of Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham for power. However, they have it in them to perform well along with their top order and seam attack, which will make this battle a brilliant one.

CWC 2019 Prediction 5: Winner

Australia

Head or heart? I’m going with my heart mostly, but also with head.

Australia have assembled a strong squad for the Title defence. It didn’t look too rosy at the beginning of 2019, coming off a terrible year and choosing a new-look team at home against India. However, the Aussies have been terrific in 2019, and have a great mix of talent and experience to go very deep in this tournament. They have hit form in the lead up to the tournament, and are always in the World Cup discussion, having won it five times.

Aaron Finch, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis provide power. The likes of Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja can keep the scoreboard moving. But, crucially, Australia’s bowling attack looks strong and this is why I believe they will go all the way. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will be a challenge for any team, along with the likes of Adam Zampa who has had a fine 2019 so far. Another big factor is the addition of Ricky Ponting in the coaching staff, who has experienced plenty of success in World Cups. His fine tactical brain can be key in helping Australia along the way.

So, England will fall just short. They are the deserved number one side, but in the big games, you can’t rely on winning 350 vs. 350 type games. Your bowling attack needs to be on point in the business end of the tournament, and this could be where England fall just short in the pressure games. For India, there is little doubt in my mind they will have a say, especially given their capability to take wickets in the middle overs. However, can their middle order deliver the goods when needed? They are still unsure of their number four position, and a lot rests on MS Dhoni to have a very good tournament.

To me, Australia have terrific balance, which is why I pick them to win the World Cup.

So, what did you agree or disagree with?

In what promises to be a very competitive tournament, there will always be different opinions and predictions. This makes it all the more exciting.

Thanks for reading!