The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup begins on the 30th of May and features the 10 best ODI nations battling it out for the trophy. Our World Cup squad previews and team bets continue today as we take a look at the second half of the teams alphabetically from New Zealand through to the West Indies.
To view Part 1 of our World Cup team previews, click here.
2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Squads
New Zealand
Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (vc), Ross Taylor
Odds: $11 at Sportsbet
New Zealand were fantastic back in the 2015 World Cup, shocking many on their way to a runner up finish after losing in the final to Australia. It was the first World Cup final in 11 attempts for New Zealand, and they’ll be looking to go one better this season on the back of some decent ODI form. The Kiwis are currently the 4th ranked ODI team in the world and are led by star batsman Kane Williamson.
Williamson will lead a talented batting line-up that includes the likes of Martin Guptill, Colin de Grandhomme, Colin Munro and veteran Ross Taylor. However, it’s the bowling unit that could be the key to the Kiwis success. Tim Southee and Trent Boult are two of the most damaging pace bowlers in the world and were the reason New Zealand made the final in 2015.
Martin Guptill most team runs
$4.33
Pakistan
Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik (vc), Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hasnain
Odds: $17 at Sportsbet
Pakistan come into the tournament with a lot of unknown surrounding their team. They went through a hot run of form in 2018 but have lost their last nine ODI matches in a row albeit to tough opponents in the Australians and English.
Babar Azam will lead the way with the bat but the majority of the Pakistani load will rest on the shoulders of the pace attack led by Hasan Ali. If the Pakistanis are to make waves in this tournament, it will be on the back of keeping teams to under 200, which they did effectively throughout the latter parts of 2018.
Hasan Ali most team wickets
$3.50
South Africa
Squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (vc & wk), David Miller, JP Duminy, Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi
Odds: $10 at Sportsbet
Led by skipper Faf du Plessis, the South Africans have ascended to be the 3rd ranked team in ODI’s. They have a solid batting line-up with Quinton de Kock, David Miller, JP Duminy, Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram leading the way.
However, it will be the South African pace attack that should determine their fortunes in this tournament. The three pronged attack of Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi are all smongst the top ranked ODI bowlers in the world and have the ability to flip the tournament on its head.
Quinton de Cock most team runs
$3.50
Sri Lanka
Squad: Dimith Karunaratne (c), Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis (wk), Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal
Odds: $101
Sri Lanka have had a tough run of it in ODI’s recently. They won six of their 12 ODI’s in 2018 but are yet to record an ODI win in 2019 through eight games. They come into the ICC World Cup as $101 underdogs but we would probably have them even below the likes of Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
If the Sri Lankans are to cause some upsets in the World Cup, it’ll need to be on the back of strong performances from key ODI bowlers in Lasith Malinga, Surunga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep.
Surunga Lakmal most team runs
$4.00
West Indies
Squad: Jason Holder (c), Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Fabien Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Ashley Nurse
Odds: $17 at Sportsbet
The West Indies won just 8 of their 18 ODI matches in 2018 to slide to eighth in the ODI world rankings. They have started the 2019 season on a better note, however, after drawing their series against England 2-2. The resurgence of Chris Gayle in that series would have struck fear into the hearts of every bowler preparing for the World Cup, as the dominant opener plundered 424 runs at an average of 106.
The West Indies possess a ridiculous array of all-round talent in the likes of Gayle, Andre Russel, Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite, who can all change a game with bat or ball. It only takes a few overs for the West Indian team to take the game away from you, and a repeat of the shocking T20 World Cup win back in 2016 is not out of the question if the West Indies are in form.
Chris Gayle most team runs
$3.75
