The 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup will renew one of the great rivalries on Saturday afternoon, with Australia taking on New Zealand in a Trans-Tasman tussle.
Both teams are firmly in the hunt for ultimate glory, so this promises to be a high quality affair.
Draftstars has put up $8,000 for the main contest, so check out our full preview with fantasy tips below.
2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup Fantasy Tips
Australia vs New Zealand
Australia Predicted XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
New Zealand Predicted XI: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryll Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Australia have hit back hard since going 0-2, recording a hat-trick of victories against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Netherlands. The most recent win against the Dutch was the most comprehensive – David Warner (104 off 93 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (106 off 44) powered the Aussies to 399 before the bowlers made light work of the opposition batters, dismissing Netherlands for just 90 inside 25 overs. Adam Zampa took his third consecutive four-wicket haul to shoot to the top of the tournament bowler rankings, while Mitch Marsh (2/19) also shared in the spoils. Things are about to get even better for the men in green and gold, with Travis Head set to return from the wrist injury that saw him miss the first half of this World Cup. With that in mind, Australia are very well placed to progress deep into this tournament, something that few were saying after the opening two rounds.
New Zealand are similarly well positioned at this stage of the WC, sitting in third position with a 4-1 win/loss record. The Black Caps experienced their first defeat on Sunday against India, with the host nation proving they are the team to beat in this edition of the tournament. Nevertheless, New Zealand have still performed exceptionally so far. Individually, Mitch Santner (12 wickets), Matt Henry (10 wickets), Rachin Ravindra (290 runs) and Daryll Mitchell (268 runs) have been the standouts, but just about every player has contributed when required. Obviously, Kane Williamson is a notable absentee, but Australia’s Trans-Tasman rivals still have all the ingredients necessary to vie for a spot in the Final, as they seek to ease the heartbreak of 2019.
Draftstars Tips
Love It – Glenn Maxwell $18,800
Maxwell was at his destructive best against Netherlands, belting a 40-ball century to tally 231 DFS points. That’s a monster score, but it’s even more impressive considering the talented all-rounder didn’t bowl. With an average of 101 points for the tournament, Maxwell is one of the premier DFS assets, and he will be full of confidence heading into this clash.
Love It- Josh Inglis $11,500
Value is hard to come by on this slate, so I’m more than happy to spend $11.5 for Inglis. The Aussie wicket keeper batsman has averaged 45 DFS points playing the ‘finisher’ role, hitting quick runs while also earning points through dismissals in the field. With job security and multiple scoring avenues, I think Inglis is a great option here.
Don’t Love It- Trent Boult $14,600
Boult has had an incredible career, bowling New Zealand to victory on several occasions, but I can’t see it happening here. The Kiwi swing king has done his best work against the minnows in this tournament, and I can’t see the Aussie top order treating him with too much respect. I believe Australia will win this game, and you can select their fast bowlers at a similar price point, which would be my recommendation.
Don’t Love It- Travis Head $15,000
Head is a supremely skilled cricketer, but it’s a big ask to expect him to fire straight away after a long injury layoff. While other batsmen have had 4-5 innings to find their groove in the early stages of this World Cup, Head has been confined to the nets, and New Zealand will look to put him under pressure immediately. As such, $15k seems a steep price to pay when more proven options are available.
Who Knows- Devon Conway $14,600
Conway has gone missing in recent matches, failing to clear 65 DFS points since his monster 280-point effort in the first round of games. There is no disputing that Conway is a class act, and his only real failures with the bat have come in his last two matches, but the best players stand up when it matters and now is one of those times.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
