Who will win the ODI World Cup 2019? Here are the top 5 contenders

#4 New Zealand

New Zealand
New Zealand

When it comes to ICC tournaments, the Kiwis simply raise their game a few notches. Even though they haven’t managed to win any World Cups so far, yet they have performed well historically. The finalists of the last edition possess enough strength to go the distance this time around.

The ODI World Cup 2019 will be a tournament of high scores as the pitches will assist the batsmen. New Zealand has Colin Munro, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, James Neesham to hunt for the big scores. It’s one of the best batting line-ups currently. If they perform consistently, we might see them holding the trophy on July 14.

When it comes to bowling, Trent Boult and Tim Southee are the most reliable ones. They hunt in a pair and can make use of the 2 new balls. Apart from them, they have Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson to choose from for sheer pace. Also, Ish Sodhi will slot in as the proper leg-spinner in the era of wrist spin.

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Top 5 contenders for the ODI World Cup 2019
Top 5 contenders for the ODI World Cup 2019
It's the year of the mega event as the ODI World Cup 2019 is scheduled to be held. England and Wales will host the tournament starting May 30. All the 10 teams have the all-important tournament in the mind right now. Each and every side is trying to figure out a core squad for the Cup. Let's find out Who will win the ODI World Cup 2019. With the ODI World Cup 2019 just a few months away, it's time for us to analyze which teams have the best chance to emerge as the World Champions. Depending on the conditions that England and Wales will offer and how the teams will fare as per current form, we have compiled a list of the best contenders.

Here are the top 5 contenders for the ODI World Cup 2019

#5 South Africa

South Africa
South Africa
Usually, going into any World Cup, South Africa would be right up there among the top contenders. But this time around, the Proteas don't seem to be the firm favorites. They indeed were the favorites in 2015 but unfortunately lost in a close semi-final to New Zealand. In the ICC Champions Trophy that was played in England in 2017, they were knocked out in the first round itself. The reason why they slumped to No.5 in our list is the inconsistent batting line-up. Had AB de Villiers been still around, they would have been one of the best batting orders. However, they still have the likes of Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, David Miller among the experienced ones. On a day, this line-up could be daunting but they haven't quite delivered of late. South Africa lost the ODI series at home against India where the batting techniques against spin were exposed. There are going to be plenty of spinners in the ODI World Cup 2019 that would make life difficult for them. However, South Africa has a great bowling attack. With Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Duanne Olivier, they have a fearsome pace attack. The spinners Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi only add to the strength.

#4 New Zealand

New Zealand
New Zealand
When it comes to ICC tournaments, the Kiwis simply raise their game a few notches. Even though they haven't managed to win any World Cups so far, yet they have performed well historically. The finalists of the last edition possess enough strength to go the distance this time around. The ODI World Cup 2019 will be a tournament of high scores as the pitches will assist the batsmen. New Zealand has Colin Munro, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, James Neesham to hunt for the big scores. It's one of the best batting line-ups currently. If they perform consistently, we might see them holding the trophy on July 14. When it comes to bowling, Trent Boult and Tim Southee are the most reliable ones. They hunt in a pair and can make use of the 2 new balls. Apart from them, they have Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson to choose from for sheer pace. Also, Ish Sodhi will slot in as the proper leg-spinner in the era of wrist spin.

#3 Pakistan

Pakistan
Pakistan
The Men in Green always go into big tournaments as the dark horses. They are always unpredictable and can beat any side on a given day. But in ODI World Cup 2019, they will enter as one of the premier favorites. Pakistan has a happy memory of England as they had won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 by beating India in the final. Their batting was always the weak link as compared to bowling. But this year, they possess strength in the batting department too. With Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam, they have the exuberance of youth. On the other hand, Mohammed Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and the captain Sarfaraz Ahmed bring in the valuable experience. Bowling has never been an issue once again, they'll come in with a healthy unit. In the pace camp, Hasan Ali - the star of the Champions Trophy, Mohammad Amir, Shaheed Afridi are there. The list just doesn't stop there as they have plenty in the bank. Shadab Khan is a world-class leg-spinner while Imad Wasim is the other spinner who can be handy with the bat as well. If the side remains consistent throughout, they have a great chance of winning the trophy after 27 years.

#2 India

Team India
Team India
The winners of the World Cup 2011 weren't the favorites in 2015. Yet they qualified for the semi-final remaining undefeated until Australia ended their run. This year, Virat Kohli & Co. will travel to England being the firm favorites. The Men in Blue have been in a terrific form of late, especially in the ODI format. The last 2 ICC Champions Trophies were held in England and Wales. India won in 2013 while ended up as the runners up in 2017. England is expected to offer batting-friendly pitches. To exploit the conditions, they have Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma at the top, who combine to form the best opening pair in the format. The No.3 is Virat Kohli and do we need to say more? The best batsman in the world and the captain will leave no stone unturned in going for the ultimate glory. The middle-order could be the only weak point. Ambati Rayudu will bat at No.4 while the experienced MS Dhoni will come in next. Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya could well be the all-rounders in the XI. India would hope that the middle-order delivers just like it did in the winning campaign in the ODI series in Australia. Bowling wise, India is the strongest perhaps. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah act as a magnificent pair, both with the new ball as well as at the death. Add to that the wrist spin-duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, it becomes a formidable bowling line-up. For back-up, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja will always push for a place in the XI. Kohli and his men have a great chance of bringing back the trophy home.

#1 England

England
England
Everyone is saying and so are we. England is the top contender to win the ODI World Cup 2019. First things first, the Englishmen will have the luxury of playing at home and home advantage is the biggest advantage in cricket. The last 2 winners India and Australia had won the tournament playing at home. But that's not the only thing that makes England the firm favorites. After a forgettable World Cup campaign of 2015 where they were knocked in the first round, this team has witnessed a massive turnaround. Under the leadership of Eoin Morgan, the England team has redefined ODI cricket. Since 2015, they have achieved the score of 300 or more the most number of times. It's because of the threatening batting line-up. Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales are the contenders for the top-order. All of them can launch from ball one. In the middle-order, they have Morgan and the steady Joe Root. At the back end, they have Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali. This batting line-up is capable of knocking down any target. When it comes to the pacers, they have Liam Plunkett, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Mark Wood to choose from. The leg-spinner Adil Rashid has been remarkable for them in ODI cricket. It's fair to say if England doesn't win the ODI World Cup 2019, they will rue it forever. Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on FacebookTwitter and Instagram