CWC 2019: Ranking all the ten teams on the basis of their 15-member squad

Even though we have entered the business of the IPL, one cannot keep an eye away from the World Cup. The ICC Cricket World Cup is the most prestigious tournament in world cricket. The 12th edition of the World Cup will be played in England among the top 10 cricketing nations.

The World Cup might be more than a month away but the cricket pundits have already started making predictions about the final outcome of the tournament. And the reason for this is the squad selection of all the ten participating teams. Even though cricket is a game of uncertainty and there are chances that teams looking strong on paper might fall short of expectations, the selected squads give a fair idea of the team's chances in the tournament.

Talking about the World Cup squads, apart from a few debatable decisions, there weren't many surprises. Most of the teams seem to have picked the strongest squad possible and will fancy their chances in the marquee tournament.

Having said that, some teams are stronger than the others on the basis of the squads that are selected. Here is the ranking of all the ten teams on the basis of the 15 member squads.

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#10 Afghanistan

Gulbadin Naib will lead Afghanistan in the World Cup

Afghanistan has taken huge strides in international cricket in the last decade. The team qualified for the World Cup after winning the qualifiers that was held in Zimbabwe last year. Coming to the World Cup, Afghanistan will go in the tournament with a new captain in Gulbadin Naib. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan's experience of playing in top T20 leagues will come in handy for the team.

Even though Afghanistan has been playing impressive cricket, lack of experience of playing in big tournaments might hamper their progress in the tournament. Also, the team hasn't played much cricket in English conditions.

Gulbadin Naib (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb ur Rahman

#9 Sri Lanka

Malinga and Mathews will be key to Sri Lanka's chances

Since the retirement of stalwarts like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lankan cricket has been in doldrums. There has been a major leadership crisis in the team and the team has struggled to find able replacements for the two legends.

Even though there are some exciting talents like Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis in the Sri Lankan World Cup side, they will thrive for consistency. The team's new skipper Dimuth Karunaratne will have his task cut out to lead the unsettled looking Lankan side.

The Sri Lankan team looks short of both skills as well as experience and senior players in the side Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera and Lasith Malinga will have to do something exceptional to save the day for the Lankan lions.

Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera (wk), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana

#8 Bangladesh

Can Bangladesh punch above its weight?

The Bangladeshi selectors have relied on the experienced players to come good in the World Cup. Bangladesh has been a giant killer in World Cups having defeated the likes of India and England in previous editions. Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan, all have been great servants of Bangladesh cricket and will want to use their experience of playing in the high pressure situation.

However, apart from these senior pros no one else has really done anything noteworthy. Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman have shown flashes of brilliance but aren't reliable enough. Lack of depth in the squad and over dependence on a few players might prove costly for Bangladesh.

Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Abu Jayed, Mosaddek Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan

#7 Pakistan

Sarfaraz will have his task cut out at the World Cup

Pakistan's recent ODI form has been patchy to say the least. Apart from a few players, the team has been struggling for form. Fakhar Zaman, after a rollicking start to his international cricket has struggled. There were questions about Sarfaraz Khan's captaincy and even his place in the side as a player.

The team will desperately want veterans like Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik to perform on the big stage. Interestingly, Pakistan's bowlers, who were once the team's core strength, have under-performed in the recent past.

The selectors left out the out of form Mohammad Amir from the squad, which means Hasan Ali will lead a relatively inexperience pace attack. However, Pakistan has the habit of surprising people when they are written off and thus the opposition teams won't take Pakistan lightly.

Sarfaraz Ahmed(c & wk), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Abid Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Sohail

#6 West Indies

Chris Gayle is in phenomenal form

West Indies was the last one to announce it's squad for the World Cup. The long-standing battle between the Windies board and the senior players has been pacified for now with most of the players making themselves available for selection.

The West Indies fans will be delighted to see Andre Russell back in West Indies colours. The all-rounder has had issues with his knees and hasn't played ODI cricket since July 2018.

Jason Holder has been exceptional as a leader and with the return of a match-winner like Russell, he will be confident about his team's chances in the tournament. The pace quadret of Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas will be a handful for the opposition batsmen.

West Indies has the team to stun a lot of teams at the World Cup if only they can play as a unit.

Jason Holder (c), Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer

#5 South Africa

South Africa possesses the most threatening pace attack

For a change, South Africa will not be among the favorites to win an ICC tournament. And the reason for this is the low key performance of the side in the last year. The team's batting looks extremely thin with only skipper Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock being among the runs.

Hashim Amla, who has been out of form for quite some time, has been included in the World Cup squad. Rassie van Dussen has had a good start to his international career but is still untested in away conditions. JP Duminy has made a comeback after a long injury layoff and David Miller has been on and off.

However, the Proteas have a potent pace attack that can destroy any batting line-up in the world and this will be the team's biggest strength in the World Cup.

Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Jean-Paul Duminy, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, Dwaine Pretorius, Anrich Nortje, Dale Steyn, Tabraiz Shamsi

#4 New Zealand

New Zealand seems to have every base covered

New Zealand is currently one of the most balanced sides in world cricket. Under the able leadership of Kane Williamson, the Kiwis have done well playing at home as well as away from home. New Zealand's current ODI ranking of 3 is a testament of the team's prowess as an ODI side.

Martin Guptill, Williamson and Ross Taylor will be at the centre of New Zealand's batting plans while Henry Nicholls, Colin Munro and Tom Latham will look to make the most of the opportunities in their debut World Cup.

The barrage of all-rounders will be the team's strength. The Black Caps also bolster a strong pace attack with the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson.

Kane Williamson(c), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Colin Munro, James Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor

#3 Australia

Australia has momentum on it's side

Australia was considered one of the weakest teams going into the World Cup a couple of months ago. The Kangaroos were struggling to cope with the bans on Steve Smith and David Warner and looked completely out of sorts. But a resurgent Australian side stunned a strong Indian side on their home turf. The team then backed it up with another ODI series win against Pakistan in UAE.

Australian team has shown great grit and determination in the last couple of months and the defending champions are now considered to be one of the contenders to lift the trophy. The return of Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Starc will give more teeth to the side.

Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Shaun Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon

#2 India

The Men in Blue will be confident about their chances

Team India has emerged as one of the strongest ODI sides in the last couple of years. While batting has been a forte for the Indian teams for generations, it's the bowling that has made all the difference for India. Jasprit Bumrah is perhaps the best bowler in the world. He has able partners in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have been bamboozling batsmen all over the world with their spin bowling.

The rise of Hardik Pandya has provided India with the all-rounder that the team had desperately needed. In Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan India has seasoned campaigners in the batting department. Also, MS Dhoni's form in the last few months has given more confidence to the team.

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Lokesh Rahul, MS Dhoni (wk), Vijay Shankar, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal

#1 England

Jos Buttler is one of the many match-winners in the England side

After a disappointing World Cup campaign in 2015, England made some huge changes in the ODI setup. Apart from inducing young blood in the team, England adapted an aggressive brand of cricket. Players like Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jason Roy were given the freedom to express themselves and this strategy has paid rich dividends to the team.

Eoin Morgan has done his bit as a captain too. England's biggest strength is the depth in the batting and bowling department. The only minor concern for the team can be it's pace attack. With Jofra Archer omitted from the side, there will be extra pressure on the current lot to deliver the goods.

Nonetheless, the team has filled with match-winners and there is no doubt that the team will start as favorites to win the title.

Eoin Morgan (c), Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler ben(wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Alex Hales, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, David Willey