ICC World Cup 2019: 5 Players who can help Australia win the mega event

The ICC World Cup is the most competitive tournament in the cricketing world. The wait for the mega-event is nearly over now as this is a World Cup year.

All the teams have geared up to go for glory. The last edition of the World Cup was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2015. A total of 49 matches were played among the 14 teams, and the co-hosts found themselves in the finals to fight for the ultimate glory.

Although their core team is ready, defending champions Australia are still on the lookout for a few players to fill in the gaps for the World Cup 2019. Many cricket pundits believe that Australia has still got what it takes to win ICC tournaments.

Given the uncertainty about the selection and availability of stalwarts in Steve Smith and David Warner who are currently suspended, the onus is on the current players to rise and win matches for Australia.

Let us look at five such players who can help Australia lift the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

1. Aaron Finch

The explosive opening batsman and the present limited overs captain doesn't need an introduction. He can be devastating at the top of the order, and is a huge asset to any team.

The year 2018 started with a bang for Finch as he scored back-to-back centuries against England. The good form continued till mid-year when he scored his third century of the year at Riverside Ground in England.

Despite a poor second half of the year, Finch averaged around 45 in 2018.

The upcoming tour to India for a limited-overs series will be crucial for Aaron Finch

After that match though, his form has tapered off drastically as he has failed to score a single half-century. In his last series, against India this year, Bhuvneshwar Kumar exposed his weakness against incoming deliveries.

Although Finch is out of form, a player of his calibre can't be written off so easily. The upcoming tour to India for a limited-overs series will be crucial for him to get back to his destructive best.

Finch is the man who can provide Australia flying starts in the World Cup and turn matches in no time, so the team management would be hoping he rediscovers his form soon.

2. Shaun Marsh

When it comes to big tournaments and crunch games, it's the character and experience of a player that ultimately help the team cross the finish line. Shaun Marsh is one such player in the Aussie middle-order.

The stylish left-hander debuted for Australia in the year 2008 against West Indies and won the Man of the Match award in that very match.

Shaun Marsh averaged close to 60 in 2018

Despite a decent run in ODI cricket, Marsh has never made it to the World Cup squad of Australia. In his ODI career of 63 matches, he has scored 2500 runs at an average of 43, which makes for really good reading.

Considering his excellent form last year, Marsh will surely make the cut this time around. He averaged close to 60 in 2018 and in the three matches he has played in 2019, he already has a century to his name.

If the same form continues, Marsh will be a vital cog for the Aussies in the World Cup.

3. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell is another experienced player in the current Aussie lineup who has the potential to win matches single-handedly. The destructive right-hander has so far played 90 matches for Australia in ODI cricket and scored 2300 runs at a decent average of 33.

Maxwell's real prowess, however, lies in providing the final explosive flourish to the team. He is the type of player who gets quick runs and transfers the pressure back to the opposition at will.

Maxwell's prowess lies in providing the final flourish to the team

The previous year was not a good one for Maxwell as he averaged less than 30 and scored only one half-century in the seven matches he played. But we all know he has the ability to turn that around in no time.

Along with his hard-hitting abilities, Maxwell is also a good part-time spinner who can bowl tight overs in the middle and even get a wicket or two. The amount of faith the Aussie team management has in Maxwell gives us another reason why he can be their man to win the World Cup in 2019.

4. Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc is widely considered to be a fast bowling genius. He is tall, quick and mighty effective with the ball in hand.

Starc is one of the best fast bowlers Australia has ever produced in limited overs cricket. He has taken 145 wickets in ODIs at a staggering average of just 21.

Starc is one of the best fast bowlers Australia has produced

Although injuries have put a stop to his consistency, he is still the best bowler going around in the limited overs. He was sensational at the 2015 World Cup, which is the biggest reason why many think Starc can be Australia's man to help them lift the trophy a sixth time.

He has played 8 matches in the World Cup and scalped 22 wickets at a brilliant average of 10. With the wickets in England getting flatter each year, Starc will have a big role to play in making inroads for Australia.

5. Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins is one valuable asset Australia are dearly preserving for the future. He has shown great improvement as an all-rounder over the past two years, working on his batting to go with his already lethal bowling.

Although Cummins has been with the Australian team since 2011, he hasn't got many opportunities. In his 42 matches for Australia, Cummins has taken 65 wickets at a decent average of 29.

The Starc-Cummins combo can be a real force to reckon with

He has been very consistent for Australia in the longest format; the last two years in particular have been exceptional for Cummins. In the recently concluded Test series against India, he was impressive both with the bat and ball. Even in the Test series against Sri Lanka, Cummins has been super effective with the ball in hand.

Like Mitchell Starc, Cummins can also bowl at good pace and has the ability to extract bounce from any wicket. The Starc-Cummins combo can be a real force to reckon with for the rest of the teams during the World Cup.