Cricket has always been a game of uncertainties. The probability plays a factor in cricket but its impact is negligible when the top 8 teams are competing with each other. But the stats from the last few years shows that there are few teams who are not up to the standards of winning the World Cup (WC) due to their degrading performances in the One Day Internationals (ODIs). Given on the match day any team can pull of a victory against any team. The results in the test cricket can be predictable because of the span over which the match is played on but in ODIs the predictability factor is very less. But the quality with which the teams play the game can make them favorites and non-favorites.
I will speak for myself here and this deduction is from my cricketing knowledge and analytics. The factors that I use here to rank the teams as favorites from first to last are recent team performance, playing conditions, individual player forms, and teams performances in England in the past.
Image source: India v England 2nd ODI scorecard: Kohli’s side inflict more pain on Morgan and co
India: They are most probably the best ODI side in the cricketing world at the moment. They have been performing like no one else in the recent past and the individual players form of the Indian Cricket Team is at the different level currently. Virat Kohli led Indian cricket Team is flying high with their performances. Virat Kohli solely has the capability of taking his to the glory. This team has previously won the champions trophy and qualified into the finals in the last two tournaments they played in England. So, it is safe to say that the playing conditions aren’t an issue at all for this Indian Team. The backups of the Indian Team are also doing very well. This does not mean that only they can win.
England: England has been performing very well in the recent past in the ODI games despite not being known as a very good ODI team in the past. They also surpass India in the rankings to become no.1 ODI side in the ICC rankings. England has been a test side than an ODI side but their recent performances have made them a good ODI unit. The major advantage that England will have in the world cup next year is the home advantage. The next world cup is being played in England and this marks as a major advantage for England and also makes them second favorites for the world cup.
Equally favorites for the world cup after India and England
Pakistan: Having previously won the last champions trophy that was held in England, Pakistan is a number three contender for the world cup next year in England. There is a strong chance of Pakistan winning the tournament if their batsmen perform well because they are heavily dependent on the fierce bowling attack of theirs.
Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand: All the three teams are also the number 3 contenders along with Pakistan. All of the teams mentioned in the list can defeat any team any number of times on a given day. Probably Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand are playing great cricket and are equally competitive but somehow they seem lesser favorite than India and England.
All the teams mentioned in the list are favorites for the world cup. If teams among the mentions names win the world cup then there would not be any surprises. They somehow have equal chances in winning the world cup but I personally think India has everything to become a world champion next year by winning the world cup.
The teams whose win may surprise people are Sri Lanka and West Indies
The team which may give even more surprise on winning is Bangladesh.
Any other team winning the world cup is just a miracle.
