After the completion of Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this month, ICC World Cup has taken its place and started with a bang in England. All the teams have worked hard on their flaws whereas some of the teams are considered favourites.
In this scintillating contest, India is one of the favourites alongside Australia and the host England. However, India might struggle to beat some of the teams in the World Cup this year.
Now let's have a look at the oppositions:
England
England is one of the strongest teams in the tournament. Apart from this, they are the host and it is expected that they will get the home advantages. England is currently in a formidable form as they have won the recently concluded five-match ODI series by 4-0 against Pakistan, the first game washed out whereas India is not in a good place in the ODI.
With the likes of Jason Roy, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, India have to bowl very economically if they want to restrict them in a below-par. On the other hand, England have included Jofra Archer in their team, which is a masterstroke itself as the pacer is too economical and proved to be the trump card for the side already.
Both the teams have faced each other seven times in the World Cup where each side won three times and the one ended in a tie. India will take on England on June 30, nearly the end of the league stage. However, it will be tough for the visitors to get past them as they are one of the most balancing as well as dangerous teams in recent times.
Australia
Australia is the other team which is giving nightmare to their opponents. They are the most successful team in the history of the World Cup as they have won the title five times. They won the five-match ODI series against India earlier this year where David Warner and Steve Smith were not a part of the team. Now they have returned and with their inclusion, the side looks more dangerous as well as balanced.
Both the team faced each other 11 times in World Cup history so far where India have managed to win three times, having a win percentage of 27.27. This clearly shows the dominance of Australia in the tournament.
India will face Australia on 9th June at the Oval which is considered as one of the most awaited games in the whole tournament. Australia are the defending champion whereas India lost to Australia in the semi-final in the 2015 World Cup. It will be interesting to see how India will take the revenge of their semi-final knockout of the last year.
New Zealand
While India, Australia and England are considered the favourites of the tournament, New Zealand are one of the dark horses of this year’s World Cup. They were the runners up of the 2015 World Cup and will surely try to win the title this year.
With the pace attack led by Trent Boult, they can trouble any of their opponents whereas they have the batsmen like Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor etc.
Though India won a 4-1 series earlier in the year, New Zealand troubled India in the first warm-up game where they bundled them within a low score. Trent Boult’s pace and swing dismantled India’s batting there and it wouldn’t be easy for India to win over them.
India faced New Zealand seven times in the history of the World Cup so far where they have won three times with a win percentage of 42.85. This year, India will lock horns against New Zealand on 13th June at Trent Bridge and it will be interesting to see how India will tackle the pace attack of Kiwis’.
