Compared to the last two Cricket World Cups, the 2019 edition has the best tournament format – one that gives favourites such as India and England a better shot at winning the trophy.
Based on recent form, team strength and past experience, these are the four teams that will reach the semi-finals this time.
England
They are heavy favorites to reach the last four. If they miss out on a semi-final spot, it will be a massive upset.
But history is not on their side when it comes to World Cup cricket. The last time we had this same format – way back in 1992 – they were runners up to Pakistan.
After a disastrous tournament in 2015, England turned a corner in the ODI arena under the leadership of Eoin Morgan.
They have an enviable batting line-up at their disposal, starting with Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow opening the batting.
In the middle order they have Joe Root, Alex Hales, Morgan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali. Their batting depth is amazing compared to other teams in the tournament.
The bowling unit definitely knows the home conditions very well, and the likes of Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Tom Curran can do the job for England.
Jofra Archer could be a late inclusion in the final 15-man squad and David Willey might be unlucky one to miss out if Archer is selected.
England’s Jos Buttler is a key part of a powerful batting line-up. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
India
After losing to Australia in the semi-final stage of the 2015 World Cup, India are the form team in ODI cricket besides England, especially over the last two years.
They have defeated South Africa, Australia and New Zealand away while losing series to England away and Australia at home.
Another loss was the 2017 Champions Trophy final, where every thing went wrong for them against a rejuvenated Pakistan team.
This match was a good example for their over-reliance on the big-hitting top three batsmen, exposing their weak middle order. This is something India need to be wary of, especially in crucial knock-out matches.
From the semi-finals, it only takes two good matches for any team to win the trophy and India has the potential and talent to pull it off.
Australia
Before their one-day series wins against India and Pakistan away, Australia were given no hope of defending their World Cup title in English conditions.
They were well below par across 2017 and 2018 before their recent surge.
With David Warner and Steve Smith back in the squad, they have a few selection headaches to deal with when it comes to settling the final line-up.
The red-hot form of Warner in the IPL all but settles the question of the opening pair.
Usman Khawaja is most likely to bat in the No.3 slot, followed by Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.
David Warner and Steve Smith are back in the Australian squad. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
The recent form of Stoinis could be a worry for Australia, but he is doing reasonably well in the IPL.
In the bowling department, Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa are in excellent form of late.
Eight wins on the trot have given the Aussie team a much needed confidence boost ahead of the World Cup and they will definitely back themselves to defend the trophy.
South Africa
It will be a close fight between South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies for the last semi-final spot, but South Africa will snatch it.
Even without AB de Villiers in their ranks, South Africa are still a good team in limited-overs cricket.
With a string of seasoned campaigners, the Proteas should be able to reach the semi-finals this time around.
The most noticeable absentee from their World Cup squad is all-rounder Chris Morris, missing out to Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius.
Two of the South African bowlers – Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir – are the leading wicket-takers in this year’s IPL, which will delight coach Ottis Gibson.
Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi will complete the bowling line-up.
The problem with New Zealand is their inexperience in the batting order. Apart from Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, they don’t have any proven performers in the batting department.
Even though their bowling attack is reasonably good, they might struggle if the conditions are going to assist heavy run-making.
The West Indies have some power hitters in their squad, but they will struggle to reach the last four as they don’t have enough quality bowlers who can perform consistently in a long tournament like the World Cup.
Lalith Kuruwita
Guest
I am really surprised that Black Caps are not recommended by most of commentators and writers. SA is already gone. Black Caps at the top of the table.
Bobbo7
Guest
Some truth re the quality of Australia but SA also lose when they should not. As stated, they just lost a Test series at home to SL - this should not happen to a mentally strong team that on paper is far superior.
mickey of mo$man
Guest
batting averages of 35 and 33 respectively for OD's, 45 and 42 for tests...whilst they are both great test players... id be more than happy to leave them out of my ODI team if i was Aus, India or England.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Hold on about that chokers tag for SA. Twice they lost to the finest Aus ODI team ever. Possibly the best ODI team in cricket history. Aus piled huge pressure on SA. It was no disgrace losing to them. Everyone else did too. Other time wS against England where being right on track to wi. The heavens opened up. That loss prompted 2 SA school kids toformute the Duckworth, Lewis system. Also lost in SA to NZ when Proteas captain Pollock miscalculated the same D/S system, SA drew the match. Out on net run rate still with wickets in hand. That's not a choke it's a calamity. SA for the 1st time go into an ICC tournament as underdogs. On paper the best bowling attack tho. Foolish to write em off.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
I also believe in Nicholls and Latham, Targa. But they wouldn't walk into every ODI team, let alone Test teams. It's the quality of the opposition we have bested that counters that argument I'm afraid. That said, we can look to them to bolster their credibility at this tournament if we are to go deep enough to prove the author wrong. And I think we can. But we will need some swinging environs and a genuine step-up from some of what the Black Caps have delivered this season as I am in agreement with your concerns around our attack - the spinners and all rounders will be key. The other step-up required is fielding, something we have prided ourselves on. We need to be clinical out there and take what chances we create. We have struggled in England but I do believe we are good enough to make the semis if we fire as a unit and once we're there we can beat anyone on our day. I have picked Pakistan as my dark-horse team.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
Pakistan are about to start their pre-World Cup tour of England with some 50-over matches against county sides before playing 1 T20 and 5 ODIs against England. This could give us an idea of how they could perform but I do agree with you that they probably won't make the semi-finals.
jose
Roar Rookie
May be that 1992 Semi final @ Eden Park, Inz's amazing 37 ball 60. they missed Crowe's captaincy in the 2nd half. Not sure if this match can be termed as a choke. You have to give credit to Pakistan for their brilliant chase. In all other semi finals, it was mostly one sided affairs (99 against Pakistan, 2007 against SL etc) , Yes New Zealand is one team who always pull above their weight in World Cup Cricket.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Hi Jose, thanks for your response. I agree that Anderson being injured is a huge loss, but together Neesham and De Grandhomme cover his strengths easily. Neesham for one, is a much more versatile batsman, Anderson relies a lot on power whereas Neesham is much more nuanced. At this point though, New Zealand have plenty like Elliott. Prior to the 2015 WC, Elliott had scored just as many ODI centuries as Nicholls have now, and 3 less than Latham. Neesham hasn't scored any centuries yet by virtue of being a middle order all-rounder who ordinarily has to bat in the last 15 overs, and with Munro I honestly wouldn't even be having him in my best XI. Elliott did have that fantastic innings in the 2015 WC semi, but aside from that NZ aren't missing much. You give the valid point that these big ODI scores come against minnow nations, but that precise problem is exactly the same Anderson and Elliott had, who you implied that NZ would miss? Either way, I'm with you, NZ are a real dark horse and I'd love for them to succeed. We'll see how they go!
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Moving Warner into the middle order isn't any more of an experiment than Khawaja is at 3. Just because he's played at first drop in Tests doesn't mean he's suitable there in ODIs. Warner has been out of the Australian team for 14 months, he doesn't get a free pass to walk in for mine. Start him in the middle order as a floater, and if he performs well, then fine, push him up the order. But right now? You shouldn't change a winning XI. Khawaja and Finch are obviously working as an opening pair, so to move from that would be way too much of a risk.
Bobbo7
Guest
NZ choke? Really? If anything they have overperformed in making the semis most times. And in the final in 2015 they were playing pre-sandpaper Starc who was a super one day bowler. Australia were always likely to win at home. As a rusted in NZ tragic I was happy to make the final. A win would have been a bonus but I did not think we would beat Australia at home. We were a 30%chance at best. If the final was in NZ I reckon we would have had a real shame. Please let me know a WC game where NZ has choked?
Bobbo7
Guest
They choked against NZ in 2015. Mind you McCullum and Elliot played blinders. They were also a better side then. I honestly see no reason to prefer SA to NZ or Pakistan this time around. And let's not forget they just lost a Test series at home to SL. SA has an amazing ability to lose where they are massive favourites. Unlike SA, PAK are the type of side who win when I they shouldn't.
Gee
Roar Rookie
I agree opening with Warner, if I was playing Australia I would enjoy Warner facing less balls. Khawaja is good but seems to runs out of puff around 35 overs, Warner doesn't.
Gee
Roar Rookie
There are probably three groups fighting for spots this WC. India & England for #1. Aus, SA, NZ, Pakistan & the Windies for 3-4 & Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Afghanistan for the wooden spoon. Narine out and Russells fading bowling really hurts the West Indies but I have them as my sneaky pick for getting into the semis.
jose
Roar Rookie
Yea South Africa's tendency to choke in ICC tournaments is well documented, starting with their 1999 World Cup semi final loss @ Edgbaston. But this time around, they have to play only 2 knockout matches (provided they get there) after the league matches. and they beat Sri Lanka in last World Cup in Q/F's to end their knockout hoodoo. and they were well placed to beat NZ in 2015 semi finals - only for quota system (Philander over Abbott) rain, missed catches / run out chances and Grant Elliott's freak innings to play spoilsport in the end.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Tom Latham would walk into every test team on the planet" Latham has promise as a Test batsman but at this stage he's just beaten up on the weak teams and been awful against the stronger teams. In Latham's 18 Tests against India/SA/Eng/Aus he has a batting average of 26 and has not made a single century.
Simoc
Guest
When the going gets tough NZ choke as SA have done in cricket finals. They would make the semis if the tournament was in Australia or NZ but its not. Given its likely to be a run fest the teams that can slog best will win and that is the top three picks of the writer. If the ball was swinging it would be a different result.
DTM
Guest
I thought the World Cup was a 50 over tournament not a test match? Not sure who you would leave out in India, England and Australia's teams to squeeze in these guys.
Paul
Roar Guru
you reckon they'd make India's Test team? Really?
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
Pretty spot on with the analysis, I think. SA has the most in-form bowling group - the injury concerns to 3 pace bowlers notwithstanding, they are expected to recover. However, I am not optimistic about their batting - The nuance of when to go hard and when to take ownership is not part of their routine - even ABD wasn't really good at it. It is a difficult balance - they gave so many opportunities to multiple players that everybody was playing for their place and apparently going conservatively. Then Faf urged them to just go for it - I am not sure the players have the temperament and big game experience to pull it off. Not picking Morris is a big miss too. Agree about WI, Pak, NZ. Whilst NZ has a decent overall batting and bowling group - the bowling apart from Boult is a worry - the way Southee has been bowling for last 2 years, the lack of penetration from the all-rounders, steady but relatively unthreatening spin options. Batting wise, again a good group but would they be able to push into top 4?
Bobbo7
Guest
Don't read too much into NZ's form against India. Apparently Williamson and Taylor had not picked up a bat in the two weeks leading up to to the series (rest) and Munro and Guptill had a shocker. They will be much better come the WC. They also have world class players in KW, Taylor, Guptill, Latham and Boult. They bat deep and can beat any of these sides. SA? Nope. They have choked with much better sides.