The Cricket World Cup gets under way in India on Thursday, with England meeting New Zealand in the tournament curtain-raiser and a repeat of the 2019 final.
Jos Buttler’s side are looking to retain their title but the host nation go in as strong favourites, while the likes of Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand are all fancied to contend for the four semi-final spots.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have the potential to upset any of those sides in conditions that ought to suit, while Netherlands qualified ahead of the likes of West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe to round-off the ten-team lineup.
Here’s Standard Sport’s guide to each of them...
Afghanistan
Captain: Hashmatullah Shahidi
World Cup best: Group stage (2015, 2019)
Talisman: Rashid Khan. A T20 franchise star, the one criticism hanging over the spinner is his middling record against leading nations in the longer white-ball format.
One to watch: Ibrahim Zadran. Afghanistan’s ability to set or chase big totals lies with the 21-year-old and fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Success would be: A couple of wins should be achievable - which would treble their all-time tally.
Why they’ll get there: Gaining in tournament experience with each passing cycle and showed progress with away series win in Bangladesh earlier this year.
Why they won’t: Lost all nine matches in 2019 and beat only Scotland on World Cup debut in 2015. Batting remains weak link.
Australia
Captain: Pat Cummins
World Cup best: Winners (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)
Talisman: Mitchell Starc. Still among the most potent white-ball bowlers in the world, has a ludicrous World Cup record of 49 wickets in two tournaments at an average of 15.
One to watch: Adam Zampa. Pumped for 0-133 in recent mauling by South Africa, the joint-worst men’s ODI figures ever, but has generally been exceptional since last World Cup.
Success would be: To Australians, the trophy. To the neutral, a semi-final.
Why they’ll get there: Mitch Marsh and David Warner look in decent nick up top, while Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell are destructive middle-order players.
Why they won’t: Bowling looks a concern, with legendary seam-attack not quite the force of old and spin options very thin beyond Zampa.
Bangladesh
Captain: Shakib Al Hasan
World Cup best: Quarter-finals (2015)
Talisman: Shakib. It has to be the skipper, who was sensational in 2019, scoring more than 600 runs, and will play a vital role with the ball, too.
One to watch: Towhid Hridoy. Middle-order batter is part of a contingent that has progressed through the ranks since winning the U19 World Cup three years ago and has 500 ODI runs already.
Success would be: Matching 2019’s three wins, including a marquee success.
Why they’ll get there: Up until the start of this year, Bangladesh were one of the form sides in world 50-over cricket. Pace attack is better than in previous incarnations.
Why they won’t: May have peaked at the wrong time between cycles. Controversy around Tamim Iqbal’s retirement and then omission sets the scene for more off-field fun and games.
England
Captain: Jos Buttler
World Cup best: Winners (2019)
Talisman: Ben Stokes. Back from short-lived ODI retirement to play as a specialist batter and has already reeled off England’s highest score in the format. No player in the world rises to the occasion so regularly.
One to watch: Gus Atkinson. Rapid seamer who bolted into World Cup squad before even making his international debut.
Success would be: Another final.
Why they’ll get there: Bags of tournament experience and big game know-how in a team laced with match-winners. Batting depth remains the envy of the world.
Why they won’t: An ageing squad, many of whom have played precious little 50-over cricket of late. Bowling looks weaker than four years ago and injury-prone.
India
Captain: Rohit Sharma
World Cup best: Winners (1983, 2011)
Talisman: Virat Kohli. Has eyes on Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI hundreds after reeling off 47th in Asia Cup win over Pakistan last month.
One to watch: Shubman Gill. Hardly under the radar, but plays in his first World Cup as the new star of the host nation.
Success would be: Winners.
Why they’ll get there: Officially the best team in the world coming into the tournament, with key players fit and in form. Look to have all bases covered now Jasprit Bumrah is back from his long lay-off.
Why they won’t: The burden of expectation on home soil, coupled with a torrid knockout record. Barring group stage hiccups their tournament will start at the semi-final - and could end there, too.
Netherlands
Captain: Scott Edwards
World Cup best: Group stage (1996, 2003, 2007, 2011)
Talisman: Edwards. Tonga-born, Australia-raised batter has proven ability against strong attacks with eight half-centuries versus Full Member nations since start of last summer.
One to watch: Bas de Leede. Son of former Dutch International, Tim, the 23-year-old all-rounder is en route to stardom and recently helped Durham romp Division Two.
Success would be: Beat Afghanistan and bloody the nose of one or two others.
Why they’ll get there: Have gained plenty of experience against leading nations in this cycle and beat West Indies during qualifying.
Why they won’t: Short of competitive cricket of late and the only associate nation to qualify for these finals speaks to the gap that must be bridged.
New Zealand
Captain: Kane Williamson
World Cup best: Runners-up (2015, 2019)
Talisman: Trent Boult. No longer centrally contracted but back in the fold ahead of this tournament and showed in the recent England series what a performer he still is.
One to watch: Glenn Phillips. Explosive with the bat, handy spin overs with the ball, gun in the field. An excellent all-round cricketer.
Success would be: A fifth consecutive semi-final.
Why they’ll get there: Probably just outside the four most fancied sides but one of those tends to slip up and no team is more consistent in taking advantage.
Why they won’t: Could prove a tournament too far for this group, particularly with star batter Williamson only just back from an ACL injury.
Pakistan
Captain: Babar Azam
World Cup best: Winners (1992)
Talisman: Shaheen Shan Afridi. Aside from Babar, new-ball genius Afridi is perhaps Pakistan’s most important player, particularly with fellow quick Naseem Shah out injured.
One to watch: Iftikhar Ahmed. Few standout candidates in this field, but the 33-year-old has been a late bloomer on the international stage and offers much-needed middle-order power.
Success would be: Final.
Why they’ll get there: The best win-loss ratio of any side in 50-over cricket since the last World Cup, their top order batting and pace-bowling are outstanding.
Why they won’t: Tournament record is poor, even without all the baggage that comes with playing this one in India.
South Africa
Captain: Temba Bavuma
World Cup best: Semi-finals (1992, 1999, 2007, 2015)
Talisman: Kagiso Rabada. With Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala both sidelined, the onus is on Rabada to lead the Proteas seam attack.
One to watch: Heinrich Klaasen. The form white-ball batter in the world right now, who leathered 184 from just 83 balls against Australia last month, is on World Cup debut at the age of 32.
Success would be: Semi-finals.
Why they’ll get there: An XI that ranks among the best in the tournament, with proven openers, middle-over destruction and an attack laden with options.
Why they won’t: Tough to pick out given apparent strength of the side but must perform in tournament cricket for the first time in eight years.
Sri Lanka
Captain: Dasun Shanaka
World Cup best: Winners (1996)
Talisman: Charith Asalanka. This would be Wanindu Hasaranga but injury has ruled the spinner out. Asalanka averages more than 40 since his debut in 2021 and has become a reliable source of middle-order runs.
One to watch: Maheesh Theekshana. The 23-year-old is struggling with a hamstring injury so we may have to wait a while to see it, but his mystery spin is highly-rated.
Success would be: Top-six finish.
Why they’ll get there: Conditions ought to suit and prior to their headline Asia Cup final hammering against India, things had been trending nicely.
Why they won’t: Injuries have hit hard and while they cruised through qualifying, participation in that competition has limited exposure against leading nations of late.
