ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: 5 Teams which are in the race for a semi-finals berth

The 12th edition of the ICC World Cup 2019 in England is set to feature a total of 10 teams. The format is such that each team will play the other team once with the top four teams staking a claim in the semi-finals stage.

This edition’s format will be following a similar template to the 1992 World Cup and poses a tough challenge for the teams to qualify into the knockout stages which makes it a commendable achievement to make it all the way to the last four. This adds pressure on the teams to be at their best over a longer duration of time and should peak at the right time to go all the way.

In this article, we examine the prospects of five of the ten participating teams who are in with a better chance of making it to the last-four stages.

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#5 South Africa

The South Africa team needs a little bit of luck

The South African team has always been associated with the phrase “chokers” when it comes to ICC tournaments. They were extremely unfortunate in the World Cup semi-finals of the 1992, 1999 and 2015 editions. With a bit of luck in the past, they could have made it to the finals and probably clinched the title as well.

This time, it is going to be different for South Africa since they have a balanced team to suit the conditions in England. To start with, they have experience in their batting line-up with the presence of Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy. Aiden Markam is a terrific young talent and David Miller is a capable finisher. In Quinton de Kock, they have one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen of the tournament.

South Africa’s strength lies in its fast bowling resources. They have at their disposal three quickest bowlers of the tournament in Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. They are ably supported by the plethora of bowling all-rounders such as Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius. For spin, Imran Tahir will hold the aces.

One look at the South African team would propose that they are a balanced team. The one player they miss the most would be AB de Villiers who has already retired. However, this team has the potential to reach the last four with a little bit of luck and if the batsmen manage to put runs on the board, the bowlers should do the job for them.

#4 New Zealand

New Zealand has the perfect squad to suit the conditions

New Zealand is in the same boat as South Africa. They too have a strong pace bowling attack like South Africa with Trent Boult and Tim Southee set to lead the bowling unit. Boult, in particular has proved time and again that on conditions that suit swing bowling, he has proved to be more than a handful for the best of batting units.

Trent Boult’s opening bowling partner Tim Southee is effective with both the new ball in the powerplay and at the death. Lockie Ferguson's raw pace offers an extra dimension for the pace battery while the alliance of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi provide variety in the spin department.

New Zealand's batting line-up wears a settled look with the presence of Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham at the top. The top order is very well backed up by all-rounders in the form of Colin de Grandhomme, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner as well.

New Zealand has proved in the past that they play well as a team even without any star presence in their team. Overall, with the firepower at their disposal, the minimum expectation from the New Zealand team is to reach the semi-finals.

#3 Australia

Australia are strong contenders to retain the title

The Australia team is the most successful team in World Cup history, with five titles in eleven editions of the league and with the return of David Warner and Steve Smith to the squad, the defending champions will prove to be a strong team this tournament.

The pace department wears a solid look with the presence of seasoned campaigners Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, while Jason Behrendorff's exploits in the recent past will make him a potent player in the powerplay overs with the moving ball.

Aaron Finch and David Warner's alliance will be back at the top of the order for the Australians while the middle order oozes stability with Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh proven players in the middle order.

Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis' big-hitting abilities and contribution with the ball has cemented their place in the starting eleven while Adam Zampa quick-ish leg-spinners could be useful on a turning track.

While the playing eleven looks formidable, Australia also enjoys a strong bench and will prove to be a team to watch out for in this edition of the World Cup.

#2 England

England - The firm favourites

The hosts England are one of the favorites to win this World Cup. They have the resources and can bank on the home conditions to take in confidence in their surge towards claiming their first ever World Cup title. The England batting has been in ominous form, scoring 340+ in four of the five games against Pakistan.

The England openers in Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow are in top form and it appears as though no total is beyond their reach. Even if the openers falter, they have a solid middle-order to back them up in Joe Root, skipper Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes. Jos Buttler's and Moeen Ali's finishing skills, if they come to the party could be demolishing.

Their fast bowling contingent of Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, and Tom Curran have looked incisive and with the addition of the pacy Jofra Archer, who has troubled batsmen in the recent past with his searing pace and bounce, the England bowling attack looks well set for the pitches on offer. In the spin department, England has a well-rounded attack with Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in the squad.

It seems that England has all its bases covered for this World Cup and could perhaps be on their way to their maiden World Cup title.

#1 India

Team India - The popular choice

If wishes and prayers could win a World Cup title for a team, India would be on top of that list forever. However, it is the players’ skills and a bit of fortune that make a champion.

The Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup has a number of stalwarts, with the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, amongst others proving their match-winning skills time and time again. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are one of the leading opening pairs in the world while MS Dhoni's composure adds a lot of depth to the batting unit. The presence of versatile players like Hardik Pandya, who has been enjoying a purple patch of late, Vijay Shankar and Ravindra Jadeja should add a lot of depth to both departments.

The fast bowling department is well served by the combination of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. However, the trump card for India will be the efficiency of the two wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and their wicket-taking abilities in the middle-overs in batting friendly conditions should play to India’s advantage.